


The Planet of Nibiru: Rifar's Queen

by wickedmusicallover095



Series: The Planet of Nibiru [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alien Planet, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Kings & Queens, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 59
Words: 103,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedmusicallover095/pseuds/wickedmusicallover095
Summary: Two weeks post Crisis a ship from the planet Nibiru arrives on Earth. Liam, the newly crowned king of Rifar, has come for his wife. Decades prior an agreement was made between Kara's parents and an Earl of Rifar. Much to the frustrations of Alex, Kara plans to honor the arrangement if Earth is protected, as well as Argo, from the people of Brenham: a planet so dangerous that even Brainy says they'd have little chance of protecting themselves from. Currently going under some minor editing. First few chapters of sequel now published.
Series: The Planet of Nibiru [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1973053
Comments: 15
Kudos: 61





	1. Arrival

“Lena, he's just going to betray you,” Kara said exasperated. She pushed her hair back only messing up her bangs.

“I'll see it coming. I know I can't trust Lex. Unlike you. I'll stand in front of those cameras and smile with you Supergirl but Kara and I? We'll never be friends again. She betrayed me and I will never trust her again,” Lena seethed. Here eyes narrowed as she looked at Supergirl.

“I'm here with you in place of Lex to accept this award. That's it. Then you can go off and help stop a fire or prevent a car crash or maybe you'll put on your glasses and pretend to be human. I don't really care, the less time I spend with you the better.”

“Fine, if that's how you feel,” Kara said and Lena was called out on stage. Lena was introducing Supergirl for an award she was receiving for an event pre-Crisis. She had seen the footage of her saving the hundreds of National City citizens and listened to Alex tell her of the event but it wasn't in her memory and never would be. What she remembered was seeing Argo disappear from existence, from Kal fading in her arms, to losing every shred of hope. That's what she remembered. Alex didn't know she still had nightmares. Ones of a burning Krypton had been replaced with everything being wiped from existence again, again, and again. Ones that she woke up screaming from. She talked with her cousin briefly about them. He was in the middle of something with his sons and the conversation didn't get anywhere except a “you should talk to Alex about it” and a “go see your mother”. She had gone to see her mother. It was one of the first things she did upon returning and when her memories were restored she understood her daughter's tears. But Kara couldn't leave Earth to go to Argo with Lex around again. So she chose to stay and had been keeping a close eye on Lex.

Five minutes into Lena's speech on Supergirl's heroine and their close friendship Kara heard something. She looked past the people and miles away saw it. It was a ship entering Earth's atmosphere just outside the city. She grabbed one of the stagehands and told them she had to go. Lena was swiftly told that Supergirl had to leave for an emergency. Lena apologized to the crowd and ran out of the auditorium through the lobby and outside. She could see the ship landing and saw Kara's red cape as she flew towards the spaceship. And using her watch she stood right next to Kara as the main door to the ship opened.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, “It's not safe. Go home.”

“Maybe you aren't up on recent events but I work with you now, my brother owns the organization you work for,” Lena said. Several men marched out of the ship and Kara slowly moved forward.

She stood in front of Lena glaring at the men standing in front of the ship. The symbol on the ship and the men's uniforms looked oddly familiar. She'd hadn't seen the insignia on her travels with her father but she knew it from somewhere.

“You know them, you recognize their ship,” Lena said her icy tone gone.

“I remember them... they visited Krypton. I was eleven maybe twelve and someone who worked for the King spoke with my parents,” Kara said.

“What are they doing here?”

“I don't- I-,” she said stumbling to find her words, “You should go Lena. Please.”

“You know what they're doing here.”

“You need to go Lena,” Kara said and when a blonde man in a different uniform than the others stepped out Kara stood completely in front of Lena blocking her from view. He began to move towards Kara when Lena pushed past her friend and spoke up.

“Who are you and what are you doing on Earth?” she asked. Kara pulled her back and glared at Lena.

“My name is Liam and I am a King on the planet of Nibiru,” he said looking at Lena then he looked at Kara. She moved forwards standing inches from this Liam. He looked human but then again so did Kara. Lena watched the two interact. Kara was stiff and there was a nervousness she hadn't seen come from Supergirl. Liam took Kara's hand and brought it to his lips. He spoke to her in a language Lena couldn't understand, something she presumed to be Kryptonese.

“I left Argo yesterday evening,” Liam said.

“My mother told you I lived on Earth,” Kara responded, “I'm surprised you know my language so well. And that you aren't Elias. That's whom I'm betrothed to.”

“He married someone else after Krypton... my brother died about six months ago. And one month ago one of my scouts stumbled upon Argo. He didn't see you but he saw your mother or at least saw your house crest.” He looked down upon the symbol on her uniform.

“House of El,” he said, “Kara Zor-El I do not wish to remove you from your home. But there was an agreement between your parents and”

“And your parents. I know. I know. I just. Argo is of no threat to you your highness and it is certainly no threat to them. If you were there you know. It is small, it has no way of attacking anyone and it couldn't protect itself for them,” Kara said, “Why should an agreement made decades ago be-” but then she heard the vehicles and her sister's heartbeat. She heard their guns and then heard the weapons of the soldiers.

“Stop!” she cried in English stepping back. She turned away from Liam and locked eyes with her sister.

“Stand down. Stand down,” she said and the DEO agents lowered their weapons with the order from Alex. Kara turned back towards Liam.

“Tell them to lower their weapons and we can continue this conversation in private.” With a few movements of his hands and whispered words to what Kara assumed was his General the soldiers lowered their weapons and returned to the ship. The door closed behind them.

Kara, Alex, Lena, Liam and his General traveled to the DEO. Lex was there to greet them as he had seen what was going on due to tv reporters. The General spoke in broken Kryptonese but Kara could tell he was doing so, so only she could understand him.

“He does not trust us,” he said.

“He does not trust aliens,” Kara said, “You were right to accompany your King.”

“You help protect these people. From him?”

“It's complicated. Recent events have changed things,” Kara said.

“Kara what's going on?” Alex asked when they were in a conference room. Brainy was in there with them and Lena and Lex were outside watching through the glass walls.

“When I was twelve years old my parents arranged my marriage to the prince of Rifar of the planet of Nibiru. King Liam wasn't who I was supposed to marry. His brother was but then Krypton died and he married someone else but now he's gone.”

“You think you're going to just marry my sister? How did you find out she was even here?” Alex asked.

“One of our scouts stumbled upon Argo. We spoke with Alura and learned that Kara survived Krypton's destruction. I was not planning on continuing with the arrangement but my people have expectations of their King. I was only recently crowned. I know about what recently happened. Only so many do but if the people of Brenham find out that there are heroes protecting Earth-”

“They'll see Earth as a threat,” Kara said, “The offer of arrangement was to protect Krypton, I will honor it if you can protect Earth.”

“Kara, no, this is ridiculous. We don't need protecting from this Brenham,” Alex said and Kara turned around to face her.

“No, you don't mess with Brenham. They don't fear Nibiru but they're indebted to them so they won't dare attack them. They won't hesitate to attack Earth if they think we're a threat.”

“Well they didn't think we were a threat before.”

“You've barely managed to get off your own planet. Why would you be considered a threat?” the General questioned.

“Nibiru makes alliances with other planets to protect them,” Kara said, “They have been for nearly a century. Krypton was on Brenham's radar when I was a child partially because of my father. If you don't do what they want, you're enslaved or your planet's destroyed.”

“What like they're the Empire?” Alex scoffed.

“You thought I refused to watched Star Wars because of what happened to Alderaan but it was more than that. It was because of Brenham. I heard my parents whisper about them. I never heard them talk about Krypton exploding because we weren't taking care of our planet. But I heard them talk about Brenham. I heard the fear in my mother's voice, even in Non's. So when Nibiru sent an Earl of Rifar offering protection they did what they thought was right for Krypton. I was consulted of course and I agreed. And if you can protect Argo and Earth I will go with you.” Kara turned away from her sister towards Liam.

“No! Kara you aren't going with this-” Alex said turning her sister back towards her.

“Alex, this isn't up for discussion,” Kara said with such sharpness it caused Alex to step back as if she'd been slapped. Then her eyes narrowed.

“No, you're my sister. You don't just get to up an leave without there being a discussion. You don't get to just marry a guy- a stranger no matter how noble it is. If Brenham comes for us we can fight them, we will fight and we will win.”

“The probability of winning against the army of Brenham is .0001%,” Brainy said finally speaking up.

“We've beaten worse odds,” Alex said.

“I need you to go to Argo and speak to my mother. And after that I need you to keep an eye on Lex. Work with Kal, don't let him win. Help keep Earth safe.”

“No, Kara, no you aren't leaving.”

“Alex, I don't want to go but there was an agreement,” Kara stated taking her sisters hands, “You'll be okay. I'll come back and visit.” She hugged her sister and then stepped back despite Alex's attempts to keep ahold of her.

“Will you help protect Earth and Argo?” Kara asked.

“Yes,” he said offering his elbow to Kara. They walked out towards the balcony with Alex following them.

“Go to Argo, speak to my mother. She can tell you more,” Kara said, “Tell Eliza that I'm grateful for everything. Alex, I'll be back as soon as I can okay?”

“Please, don't go,” she said, “There's a chance that they won't even notice us.”

“With the others and Lex?” Kara asked. She hugged Alex one more time whispering a goodbye. She turned to Lena.

“What's going on?” she asked.

“I'm leaving, Alex will explain everything,” Kara said, “Goodbye Lena.” She didn't wait for a response as she flew towards the ship. There were still DEO agents guarding the area having roped it off.

“I really didn't want to take you from your home,” Liam said. Kara bit her lip and nodded trying to hold back threatening tears.

“This wasn't supposed to be my home anyway,” Kara said as they entered the ship.

“We'll be arriving on Argo in about twelve hours or so,” he said and Kara looked up at him, “Our unity ceremony will be held there. It is tradition and your mother would very much like to see you.”

“Then what we go to Nibiru and I'll be your queen?”

“You'll be the queen of Rifar and like me you'll sit on the council for our planet. And Earth will no longer be in danger of attack from Brenham.”

“Are you sure?”

“Should they attack Earth they would be attacking Nibiru which would cause them to break their oath of two millennia. Even they were not foolish enough to do that.”

“Why are they indebted to you? I never learned the details.”

“That is a story for another time,” Liam said, “Would you like some drinks once the ship has departed?” Kara nodded sitting across from her future husband slowly coming to the realization of what she had done as she watched out the window seeing everything she was leaving behind.


	2. Argo

Kara didn't expect her sister to greet her when she arrived on Argo but it was Alex that hugged her first and not her mother when they arrived on Argo.

“I'm so sorry Kara,” her mother said to her once Alex finally let her go, “We're going to make this right. You'll return to Earth.” She felt something sharp against the inside of her forearm as her mother pulled away. She didn't wince but she looked up at her mother in confusion.

“What is that?” she asked as the syringe her mother was holding was slipped to Alex.

“Do you want to go home or not?” Alex asked. Kara's vision began to blur and she reached up touching her head.

“Kara, what's wrong?” her mother asked with just the right amount of panic in it grasping onto her tightly.

“What's happening?” Liam asked rushing over.

“I don't know. She's been on your ship,” Alura accused.

“Mom,” Kara said her knees beginning to buckle. She felt Liam lift her up.

“Where do I take her?” he asked. Alex glared at the man cradling her sister as if he cared about her. Alura directed him towards the small hospital on Argo. Alex watched Liam place his sister on the bed and she realized that her sister wasn't in her Supergirl uniform but it a plain grey sweater and navy blue skirt. The material was warm which Alex realized meant that Rifar was cold. For a future queen the outfit seemed very plain. It would help her blend in though upon arrival rather then step out of the ship with her house crest plastered across her chest. She didn't plan on her sister traveling to Rifar let alone becoming their queen.

“What's wrong with her?” Liam asked sounding concerned. Alex and Alura appeared to be concerned but they weren't because all Alura gave her was a sedative. She'd be out for a few hours and hopefully in that time Alura could convince Liam he didn't want Kara for a wife. That Rifar didn't need a queen who was sick. That he'd regret taking Kara back with him to his home planet. Kara wouldn't listen to Alex and Alura had a feeling that Kara wouldn't listen to her either but they had to try. So, they knocked her out and when Kara woke up maybe everything would be resolved. She'd be angry but she wouldn't be married to some prince who lived galaxies away. Alura mentioned the Pinwheel Galaxy and said from Earth it was twenty-one million light years away from Earth. In comparison the galaxy Krypton was in was only two and a half million light years from Earth. Technology on Earth wasn't advanced enough to locate its' planets let alone travel there. Alex wasn't sure how Kara was expected to be able to keep in contact with Earth.

Liam stood back with Alura speaking with her in a language Alex only knew some of. Kara only spoke in it in her sleep. She spoke in the language when she was younger before her and Alex became friends but Alex had no interest in learning a language “that was pretty much dead anyway,” which is exactly what she had said to her. Kara taught her a few words within the past few years but she could never concentrate long enough to teach her enough for a conversation. She'd become teary eyed or would start speaking of Kal-El's broken Kryptonese. When Alex moved away from her sister and towards Alura, Liam flawlessly switched to English.

“We have medical care on Nibiru,” he said, “If something like this were to happen again she'd be well taken care of.”

“Kara isn't used to being away from a yellow sun,” Alex said.

“She grew up under a red sun,” Liam said.

“And then moved to Earth and that's where she's been most of her life. She's used to having super powers and flying and never getting sick or feeling pain,” Alex said.

“Surely she visits Argo,” Liam said.

“Not for long. She has a duty to protect the people of Earth. And I have noticed when she's here for a longer period of time she does seem to be out of sorts,” Alura said.

“She's adapted to Earth,” Alex said, “I'm a doctor, Kara isn't. It's likely she didn't think about what would happen should she leave Earth for a longer period of time.”

“We haven't been away from a yellow sun for long. This has to be something else,” Liam responded not mentioning the color sun Nibiru had.

“A lot has happened recently that's put Kara under a lot of stress,” Alex said, “It's finally caught up with her and being away from the yellow sun doesn't help.” This argument went on for a while until Kara began to stir. It was Alura who made it to her bedside first. She grabbed onto her daughter's hand and placed her other hand on Kara's cheek. But she didn't wake and eventually the conversation that had stopped began again but this time somewhere more private.

Alura did her best to convince Liam that Kara would be better off here or better yet on Earth. That Rifar didn't need a queen who could collapse upon arrival. Alex remained with Kara and when her sister woke up Alura was still with Liam.

“Alex, what did you and my mother do?” she asked sitting up groggy.

“You shouldn't have to go to a completely different planet again. Not because of some four decade old agreement. Your mother agrees with me. She said that they didn't want to make the arrangement in the first place. Nibiru isn't somewhere you want to be. You can't change the minds of people like you can on Earth Kara.” Kara shook her head confused. This wasn't about changing the minds of the citizens of Rifar or of Brenham. This was about honoring an agreement. About protecting those she loved.

“Just for once Kara will you let someone protect you! You spend all your time helping others, just please let us help you.”

“Alex, I'm the only one who can do this. If I refuse we are vulnerable to Brenham.”

“There has to be another way besides marrying you off. This isn't some fantasy story or historical BBC show. We don't make alliances through marriage anymore. You said Krypton was advanced and your mother said Rifar was more so. It doesn't seem that advanced to me.”

“Some customs don't go away. Besides this is the most reliable way to make sure we are protected. With marriage and children- Nibiru will have to protect Earth because one of their monarchy-”

“Children! Kara you can't actually be considering having children with this man!”

“He's the king and he'll be expected to have an heir,” Kara said. She didn't want to leave Earth. She didn't want to marry this man or have his children or become queen to a place she had never been. She didn't want any of this but she had to protect Earth. She had to protect Alex and Alura and Lena and J'onn and everyone. Brenham wouldn't attack Earth if it had an alliance with Nibiru and Alex had to be sure that Earth, particularly Lex, wouldn't try attacking Brenham.

“I can protect Earth from Brenham but you have to protect it from Lex. Alex, please. I don't want this either but this was a decision made a long time ago. If I chose to stay and the leaders of Brenham- they are making progress across the galaxy. I heard them on the ship. They aren't interested in Earth yet but if they find out about Barry and the others and of our powers they will use it as an excuse to attack. And while you and everyone becomes enslaved they will be used as their puppets. I won't let that happen.”

“How can you be so sure they won't attack Earth even with this _alliance_?”

“The bond between Brenham and Nibiru is over two millennia. I don't know the whole history but I know that there will never be a war between them.”

“Kara don't be so naive,” Alex said, “Peace doesn't last forever. And if they're as powerful as everyone says they are do you really think they'll be happy with peace once they find out the alliances between Nibiru and the other planets?”

“It's only highly populated planets, ones that pose a threat. Every planet has its issues but Nibiru doesn't want to see an all out war within the galaxies. Liam said they heard of unrest a while ago which is why these alliances were made.”

“Kara we'll find a way to protect Earth and Argo. We've defeated every threat before. We can-”

“You don't get it! Earth will not survive if Brenham sets it's sight on us. You have no idea what we'd be up against! I don't even know the full extent of what they would do. You thought the anti-matter wave was bad? Yeah, it was probably the absolute worst thing that could have happened. But we weren't enslaved. We weren't starved. We weren't beaten near death. While they could wipe us from existence they'd wait. They'll wait until everyone is broken, until we're no longer of use. And Barry and J'onn and Kate and Nia and everyone else- they wouldn't be sent to some work camp. They'd be used for their gifts in ways I don't want to think about. If I have to marry someone I don't know so Earth can be protected that's what I'll do.”

“Peace doesn't last forever and when their bond falls apart and they attack Earth your little alliance won't have helped. Come back to Earth. You can't help us millions of light years away,” Alex said starting to plead, “Please.”

“You're awake!” Liam explained upon entering the room. Alex didn't bother wiping her tears away as she stepped back, moving towards Alura. Alura and her left the room while Liam starting speaking with Kara.

“Please tell me you convinced him to leave without my sister,” Alex said.

“He wants to break the arrangement,” Alura said, “But when the scout returned with the news that true Queen-to-be was still alive... the news spread across the kingdom. And the people of Rifar are very adamant when it comes to honoring alliances. Nibiru is in general. It's how they've survived this past century. They make alliances with other planets in exchange for protection while Nibiru receives spouses, trade deals, and no threat of war. I fear Brenham has become a larger threat than before, despite Crisis it still exists even though I wish it didn't. Liam is a new king and should he break this alliance the United Council could worry he is not taking his role seriously.”

“It's nearly a forty year old agreement!”

“To the people of Rifar and of Nibiru it doesn't matter. Their last king, Liam's brother, was stricter as was their father. Agreements were honored and if not the party at fault was punished. This is the rule the people of Rifar lived under for a long time.”

“And he didn't have a child who could take over the thrown?”

“He had no sons. Liam assured me that Earth and Argo would be protected from Brenham-”

“Their alliance can't last much longer. Nothing does.”

“If Kara doesn't go with him, his people will expect action against Earth. Yes, the alliance between Nibiru and Brenham may eventually crumble but he's assured me it's still strong. There are about a dozen planets under their protection and there are hundreds more he wishes he could protect. They can only help so many. The reason they came to Krypton wasn't so their future king could have a queen, they wanted to help prevent a possible war across the galaxies. And they knew one of the first planets that could be attacked would be Krypton.”

“Why hasn't Brenham done anything already?”

“They have but before the death of Krypton there was an epidemic that killed seventy five percent of their population. It's taken time to rebuild. And now that they have it's likely they'll find someone to blame and until they get an answer they'll just destroy until they do.”

“But what about before that?”

“There are some things I don't even know Alex. There's a reason we feared them before and I didn't think I'd ever have to think about them again. And with Kara honoring the arrangement we won't have to. Kara has made her choice. There's nothing we can do now.”

“She's my sister there has to be something we can do.”

“And she's my daughter. I doubt she'll listen to me, I can't force her into a pod and send her to a safe planet like last time. There's nothing we can do Alex. Kara is doing what she can to save those she loves. Now if you'll excuse me I'd like to spend as much time as I can with my daughter.”


	3. Leaving

“Sir, they're doing everything they can to keep her from returning with you to Rifar,” the general said.

“I'm trying to take away one of their family members Carson. Of course they're trying to stop it. If I could stop it you know I would. I could have married the princess of Luxo like was planned. But that stupid scout came back and then the gossip and the people found out and here we are. She seems like a great person and I hate taking away a planet's protector. They have more from what she's told me but a Kryptonian under just a yellow sun without the inference of a red sun? She could have fought coming with me and she would have won. But if Brenham were to decide Earth's a threat, she knew this was the safest option,” Liam said looking at Alura sitting with Kara in the patient room.

“What do you believe would happen were you to return to Rifar without her?”

“My people would expect repercussions. Earth would definitely be on Brenham's radar then. My father and brother weren't not the most peaceful of rulers. I want to step away from the war and bloodshed Carson. It's why I was going to marry the princess of Luxo. It would have prevented any other wars.”

“You don't need to take my sister you know. I'm sure there are plenty of other women on your planet,” Alex accused. Liam looked at Kara's older sister.

“I can assure you that I wouldn't take your sister if I didn't have to. And she decided to come with me. You know as well as I do that she could have fought me. I've heard of the powers of those who are born beneath a red sun gain when in proximity to a yellow sun.”

“Tell her she can stay on Earth. You are the king after all.”

“It is not so simple. The agreement is old yes, but if I disregarded it I'd be disregarding my parents and their legacy. If I were to dissolve the agree what is stopping Brenham from doing the same? They may not attack Nibiru but they'll attack other planets. We have rules and standards on Rifar. It's how we have survived so long. Kara will be leaving with me in the morning. She will return to Earth once every Earth year. You will get to see her and we will set up a way to contact you as soon as we land on Rifar.”

“How can you have bond with such a dangerous planet?”

“Why do you still work with Lex Luthor? There's a saying on Earth; keep your friends close but your enemies closer I believe. We are trying to prevent damage to galaxies. If they were to attack the planets we've kept safe they would win a war they desperately want to start. What's holding them off is our planet's council of leaders.”

“Why do you even have an alliance anyway?” Alex asked.

“One of the men who discovered Brenham was from Nibiru. His sister was queen of Luxo, one of our neighboring countries. She ruled her country while assisting her brother colonize Brenham. They were apparently very close and an agreement was signed that their planets would never wage war with each other or any of their alliances. Unfortunately a couple hundred years ago the current king of a Brenham country was unhappy with the size of their planet and started to take other planets by force so they could expand. A lot of people are dead or enslaved or used by Brenham. Had they attacked Krypton, Kara's father would have been taken and she and her mother would have likely been separated.”

“And every country on Brenham agreed with this king?”

“No, some of them did not. They were silenced. No one from Brenham has stepped foot on Nibiru in nearly two centuries but we are still in contact with them, still monitoring them.”

“On Earth family members betray each other. I don't know what you know about Earth history but the want of power is more important than blood to some humans. What makes you think that Brenham won't attack you?”

“If it wasn't for our medical teams there would be no people on that planet left. Before that we saved them from starvation. And we saved them from a harsh winter before that. We do not agree with their tactics and they are less than thrilled with some of our alliances but they know that they wouldn't be here if it wasn't for us. We have prevented war for this long and we don't plan on one starting. If they were to decide to attack one of our alliances or even just another planet- I would send Kara to Earth because she will have more power there. She can defend herself there and help others. But we've held off Brenham this long and plan to keep doing so.”

“Alex, stop arguing with him,” Kara said surprising both her sister and Liam. She was in the hallway attached to a pole with fluids and was standing her her mother gripping her arm. Alura had been crying.

“I'm leaving in the morning,” she said then looked at Liam, “I'm much better. Was just a dizzy spell. I'm fine.”

“Of course, we can have the ceremony this evening then leave in the morning,” Liam said then excused himself to go check something on his ship.

“Kara, please don't do this,” Alex begged.

“I don't want to do this Alex. I don't want to leave Earth. But going with Liam will assure that Earth is safe from Brenham should they set their sights on it.”

“You can't be sure that-”

“Stop, Alex. Please. This is already difficult. I want to stay more than anything but this is what's best for Earth and Argo. Don't you see I don't have a choice?” Then Kara turned around towards her room and moved away from her mother and Alex.

The ceremony was short and Kara was in a daze for most of it. Alex was crying as was her mother. They were no tears of joy at the ceremony. Kara wore a dark blue gown her house crest on the chest. There was no celebrating afterwards. There was no music or dancing or cake. The smiles were forced and every time Alex opened her mouth she had to choke down a sob. Kara spent most of the evening with Alex and Alura. Eventually Alex fell asleep but Kara remained awake with her mother.

“We should have never put you in this position,” Alura said.

“I think you're forgetting I said yes all those years ago,” Kara said.

“We knew Krypton was sick when they arrived. We didn't think you'd actually have to marry some prince.”

“You knew Krypton was dying?”

“Our scientists suspected something was wrong but they were hoping to reverse it. By the time we realized we couldn't it was too late. Next thing we knew we were putting you in a pod. Nibiru was the last thing on our mind. We thought we might have to send you away when we heard about Krypton dying, it's the only reason we said yes.”

“Because you had no hope in saving Krypton.”

“I didn't, no,” Alura stated, “There were a lot of things I wish I had done differently one of which was saying no to Rifar.”

“But I was there for the whole thing. I was the one who said yes.”

“Only because they used Brenham to scare you. You were a child, you had no business in saying yes. I should have made you leave the room.”

“I still would have found a way to listen in and I still would have said yes. Someone had to protect Krypton.”

“That wasn't your job. You were twelve. I should have done a better job of protecting you. I-”

“Stop. You didn't know that Krypton dying meant it was going to explode. And I'm still alive and I've decided to leave with him. The second he mentioned Brenham I knew there wasn't much of a choice. It doesn't matter if I have my powers from the yellow sun I can't stop an entire army, I can't stop them from destroying Earth. I can get used to a new planet, I've done it once before.”

“You've always been my brave girl Kara,” Alura said resting her head atop Kara's. She started whispering a prayer that Kara hadn't heard in a very long time. She felt tears slip down her cheeks. She was losing her world again and this time she was choosing it.

Alex hugged Kara and didn't want to let go the following morning. Kara was back in her dark blue skirt and grey sweater. She also wore a necklace that had a pendant of her house crest on the chain. Had she paid any attention to Liam she'd have noticed he was also wearing the house of El crest as a lapel pin.

“Keep an eye on Lex, I'll contact you as soon as I can,” Kara told her sister. Then it was her mother's turn to say goodbye. She pulled her into a hug.

“You'll learn to love each other Kara,” Alura said pressing a kiss on her daughter's forehead after pulling away. She handed Kara a small box and told her not to open it right away, not until she was comfortable on Nibiru, comfortable with Liam.

“Goodbye,” she said and then took Liam's elbow entering the ship bound for Nibiru.


	4. Rifar

The first thing Kara noticed when she stepped off the ship onto her new home planet was how cold it was. Then she noticed the camera flashes which caused her to step back. Liam placed his arm around her and then they were surrounded by the soldiers. Kara barely had a chance to look at her surroundings when she was ushered into a monorail car. They weren't alone either. General Carson and two other soldiers, whose names Kara had yet to learn, were in there with them. She took the time to look out the windows at the country she would now call home.

“It- it looks like Germany. Why does Rifar look like a European country from Earth?”

“My ancestors visited Earth a long time ago. They enjoyed the architecture of Germany the most but they visited many of the other European countries. We are far more advanced than Earth though.”

“We were too. Then we destroyed our planet,” Kara said a note of bitterness in her voice.

“We learned, well my father and brother specifically learned, from Krypton's death. Nibiru is healthy. And right now Rifar is at peace. My first act as king after my brother died was to end the war with Luxo. Today I will be introducing you to the palace staff, you will be properly fitted for a new wardrobe, checked out by one of the palace physicians and we will be having dinner, in private that is. I won't leave your side.”

Liam was true to his word and never left Kara's side. During her wardrobe fitting Kara learned what her clothing would consist of. Most days she would wear sweaters and floor length skirts. For formal events she would wear dresses. Ones that showed off her figure and were covered in jewels. She found she was at a disadvantage when she was checked by the palace physician. The women dressing and measuring her didn't talk much as their king was within earshot but the physician spoke quite a bit. She couldn't understand a word she was saying. She spoke to Liam and he did his best to translate but he saw it bothered her. He told Kara that she'd be receiving a couple of tattoos in the morning, one placed on her left wrist that was a connection to his and one behind her right ear that would translate everything she heard and said. He had one as did top ranking officials.

During dinner Liam explained how their connecting tattoos worked. The tattoo showed their bond and that she was queen. There was also a tracker in the ink. This information bothered Kara but he explained it was for her safety and that he also had a tracker. Their conversation fell silent until about halfway through the meal when he brought up what would be happening that night when they retired to bed shortly after finishing dinner. She nearly choked on her food but managed to get it down. There was a ritual for a newly married couple's first night together. Like most first nights as a married couple the two would be having sex but before that there would be a ritual specific to Rifar. While they had spent the last few days together on the ship, even sharing a large bed, he had been careful in how he touched Kara. And now tonight Kara feared their first night together would be watched like it used to be on Earth.

“We aren't going to be watched,” Liam said when he saw Kara's face, “Before I- I bathe you.” This came out awkward. Despite it being a specific Rifar ritual it was still known by adults who didn't live in Rifar on Nibiru. The ritual was centuries old and the explanation as to why it existed was long forgotten.

“Oh,” Kara said with a little laugh, “Okay. I haven't seen our bedroom. Is the bathroom attached to it then?”

“Yes, our room is in the south wing and it's quite large. There's an antechamber and the main bedroom which has it's own balcony overlooking the gardens and there's a closet of course then off of that is the bathroom,” Liam said, “But you'll see all that soon.” The rest of their meal was eaten in silence. The two walked together to their bedroom.

The antechamber was about half the size of her apartment. There was a fireplace, a couple of love seats, a small screen above the fireplace and bookshelves lined the opposite wall. In the corner close to the door they came through was a table and chairs. Double doors lead into the bedroom. There was a large four poster bed with cream bedding and curtains that faced glass windows and doors that overlooked the garden. To the right was the door into their closet then the bathroom. The tub was certainly large enough for the two of them and was the size of your standard hot tub and it was already filled with steaming water. There was also a large shower and a sink along with a separate vanity. On the wall were shelves full of towels next to hooks holding two dark purple robes.

“So what do we do now?” Kara asked turning to look at Liam. He had unbuttoned his shirt and Kara could see faint scar lines on his chest.

“I remove your clothes and remove mine while you step into the bath,” he said realizing how odd the ritual seemed as he spoke all the following steps out loud. She sat on the edge of the tub while he removed her boots and knee high socks. Then his hands touched the bottom edging the sweater she wore; dark green and warm like the grey skirt she was in. She lifted her arms as he removed her sweater. Then he removed her skirt and then the underskirt she wore to help protect against the cold. He swiftly moved her remaining undergarments and she slipped into the tub slightly mortified. The water was hot and felt good compared to the temperature outside. Then she felt him slip in behind her.

His skin touched hers and she nearly jerked away. This was her husband she reminded herself. They could- would have more moments like this. Liam was not going to be a stranger anymore. She sat quietly as he bathed her. He combed his fingers through her hair cleaning it from the smell of the ship they had spent the last two and a half days on. He dried off first then grabbed her robe.

“We can wait till a different night,” Liam said when they were sitting on the bed, the curtains drawn, “I'll understand. Especially if you haven't-”

“I've slept with a man before,” Kara said, “But I would like to wait. If only for a short while till we get to know each other more.” Then Liam slipped into a casual conversation as if this wasn't their first official night together as a married couple. He mentioned that she'd be given a tour of the castle and it's grounds tomorrow. Kara wasn't sure if she should thank him for offering to wait. She was slowly getting to know this man and she knew that like her he'd have rather left her on Earth. Not because he was in love with someone else but because he saw more harm in bringing her here. He had done his research on Earth before leaving Rifar. She was one of it's protectors and now Earth was down one hero because of him.

Kara woke up in the middle of the night. Liam was asleep and she noticed there was a pillow between them like there was on the ship. Would this be what their nights were like? Awkward small talk then sleeping with a pillow between them? Her mother said they'd learn to love each other but everything was just uncomfortable. Kara propped herself up to look at him then slipped out of the bed. She pulled her robe tighter around her and opened the doors to the balcony stepping outside. There were lights on in the garden. Kara could see the guards. She saw farther out past the flowers and bushes and trees seeing the city. There was the monorail which was running. Kara had no idea what time it was and wondered if the people on it were going or returning from work. Only a handful of buildings reached towards the sky. Rifar was a large country and unlike Argo, had a smaller population so it didn't need most of its' buildings to be over a dozen floors. From what Liam had told her one of these buildings was a hospital and another was an office building. Each floor was dedicated to a different company. This was just the main city though, he had said, Eastloch. There were smaller towns and provinces across Rifar. She asked in comparison how big Rifar was to countries on Earth. He said that Rifar was the size of Europe. The capital city which they currently lived in was about half the size of Rhode Island. Kara sat down on the bench on the balcony. There was also a hot tub with steaming water, a small round table and chairs, and a hammock large enough for the two of them. There were lights strung up around the balcony but they weren't on and Kara didn't want to risk anyone knowing she was up.

She could see her breath and thought about going inside. She couldn't remember what the cold was like. Winter existed on Argo of course but the memories of what they were like were out of reach and living on Earth where the cold didn't bother her helped erase the feeling. But Nibiru was farther from the sun and while there was a warm season Kara wasn't sure if it meant much of a lighter wardrobe, at least she wasn't currently fitted for any outfits fit for a warmer season. The noise of the city was comforting. It was like National City but she couldn't hear everyone's heartbeats or the sound of people up late working on their computers or home alarms going off from teens sneaking back in. She had not seen what color the sun was when she first arrived but she still had some of her powers. They were just tampered down. She could hear Liam's heartbeat despite the door being closed and could see five or six miles ahead. She knew how many rooms were filled in the hospital. She couldn't fly though. The gravity of Nibiru was stronger than Earth's. Her strength came from the hours of training not from radiation of the yellow sun. If needed she could fend off an attacker but the harm she could to them wouldn't be what it would have been on Earth.

Kara heard Liam's heartbeat quicken then the door to the balcony opened. He let out a relieved breath.

“Kara, it's freezing out here,” he said quickly grabbing a blanket from inside. He sat down next to her and wrapped it around her. He switched on the lights which caused the guards from below to look up. He then drew curtains shielding them from view. She hadn't noticed them before.

“I couldn't sleep,” she said.

“You still have some of your powers,” he said.

“I couldn't sleep my first week on Earth,” she said, “The noise was so overwhelming. Everything was too much. My powers aren't as advanced as they were on Earth. The noise it's not so bad... Thank you for earlier by the way.”

“I know this isn't what you wanted,” Liam responded, “And if I could change it I would.” Kara didn't say anything to this because she knew he couldn't change what had already come to pass.

“I was informed that a way to contact your sister will be done in a couple of days,” he said. She imagined the conversation with her sister who struggled to hold back sobs the night before she left. When Liam said they should head back inside Kara merely nodded and it wasn't until they were back in their room did Kara realize how cold it had actually been outside. Liam covered her in extra blankets worried with how cold it had been outside. Then they went back to sleeping with a pillow between them.


	5. Gossip

Kara and Liam had breakfast in the privacy of their antechamber. He told her what the day would involve. The tattoos, returning for more wardrobe fittings, meeting with her personal guards, choosing her lady-in-waitings, a tour of the castle and finally meeting with the palace chefs and planners to work on a royal dinner that would be taking place after her coronation. The Earls, Dukes and Duchesses, and others of the nobility would be attending. He would only be able to join her up until after lunch then would be seeing her in the evening for dinner. Dinner, Kara learned, was in the late evening for most people of Rifar. She asked when she'd receive a tour of the town and he mentioned it would be a couple of weeks until she'd meet the people. This was for her safety.

“You think your people would attack me?” she asked.

“The previous queen who currently lives with her daughters on the southern side of Rifar was not the kindest. She did not care for the people as she should have. She saw herself above them and treated them as such. And with the recent war the people are tired and scared of what's to come. I want to give them and you more time to adjust,” Liam explained.

When Kara was receiving the tattoos Liam sat with her and held her hand. She didn't wince from the pain because she didn't experience it. Kryptonite was the worse pain she had felt and anything in comparison was so minuscule it didn't bother her. The tattoo behind her ear matched Liam's and he explained that it would translate anything written as well. Kara asked if General Carson had one as well because he spoke to her in Kryptonese. Liam confirmed this but during the war he was wounded causing the technology to be damaged.

The tattoo on her wrist was hidden by the purple sweater she wore and the one behind her ear hidden behind her perfectly straightened hair. She met her personal guards: one man and one woman. They were to stay with her unless Liam, a trained soldier, was nearby but they were told that they needn't be glued to her side. Kara had proven she could defend herself should the situation call for her. She changed into her Supergirl uniform to fight several guards and soldiers. She heard the whisper about how clearly different she was from their previous queen. She even fought with Liam. Though he had watched her fight the others he wasn't prepared for how quick she was or her strength and was knocked down several times causing a couple of the soldiers to chuckle quietly. During the fighting she felt like herself and Liam along with his soldier were just more DEO agents. Then she changed back into her previous outfit and the feeling was gone.

She met with several women who were possible choices as ladies in waiting. She asked Liam if it was really necessary to have one. She could easily dress herself and prepare her own bath and do her own hair but he said that while she may not need one daily she'd need one for formal occasions. And she would get used to having a few. Kara agreed to start out with one choosing one of the ladies who seemed the quietest. Lunch between Kara and Liam was quiet. There was no mention of what happened last night. And then Kara was escorted to the royal seamstresses. They were clearly unaware that she had received her translation tattoo and were more talkative than the previous day.

“If the king is anything like this brother she'll be back here in a few months for us to let her clothing out,” one of them said.

“She'll need it done more than once. Pity there was never a son. Six girls and no son,” said another.

“She's a quiet one,” said the first woman, “Can't believe a Kryptonian was living on Earth. Such a primitive place.”

“She learned how to fight there. Did you hear how she knocked out Carson? Even knocked his highness down.”

“Did you hear she picked Viv for her lady-in-waiting?”

“What a shame she doesn't like to gossip. She'll likely know before anyone else when she's expecting.”

“They were on that ship for who knows how many days. We could find out sooner rather than later.”

“I do hope their children aren't as awful as those girls.”

“Never standing still for their fittings. No manners. No manners at all. I heard they're less than thrilled about having to move. They will be quite a shock for her.”

“I'm sure everything is. Especially the bathing, must seem strange to an outsider.”

“He was supposed to marry the princess of Luxo.”

“Well his brother was supposed to marry _her_. Do you think he's just as abusive as him?”

“If she knows how to fight she won't likely put up with it like Esla did. How long do you think it'll be till she's showing?”

“We don't even know if she's expecting yet.”

“She's expecting. He has to ensure his place on the throne, appease the people.

“Stop gossiping! You know better than not to speak like that of your queen. Grab her coat will you. She's going on a tour after this, we don't want her freezing,” an older woman said entering the room. She then looked at Kara and knelt down checking her boots. She shooed the other woman away and asked Kara to sit down.

“So you did get your tattoo. You should have spoken up sooner, shouldn't have to listen to that awful gossip.”

“I'm- I was a reporter I know how much people will say if they don't think you're listening,” Kara said as the woman took off her boots then her socks.

“Are these boots bothering you at all?” she asked examining her feet.

“No, they're fine,” Kara said.

“It may not seem befitting of a queen but his highness insisted on comfortable clothing versus the corsets, heels, and lavish hairstyles. He was less than thrilled of taking a protector away from their planet.”

“He- how did he know I was Supergirl?”

“We know much more about Earth than you think. Our technology is far more advanced that what you're used to. He came speaking to me about how the future queen wore a cape and flew around helping people. He said that a corset wouldn't be in her new wardrobe.” Kara slipped her socks and boots back on when her guards came to pick her up for the tour of the castle.

The tour itself lasted three hours and she felt like she'd never really learn her way around her new home. She thought she'd enjoy the gardens but it only made her miss Earth. The plants were similar but they weren't what she was used to. When she met with the palace chefs she felt too drained to discuss options for a dinner party she wasn't all that interested in. Her guards noticed and motioned for the chef to stop. They returned her to her room where she sat in front of a fire watching newscasts but not paying attention.

She heard Liam's heartbeat as he came down the hall. He entered the room and sat on the couch she was curled up on.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“It's just a lot, that's all,” Kara said letting out a light laugh.

“I should have organized your schedule better. Shouldn't have just shoved everything at you. You weren't raised in a castle or to be queen.”

“I know you've been shown around the castle but how about tomorrow I show you around. I can spend the whole day with you and show you my favorite spots from growing up. I'll find a tutor for you, to help you adjust, but you don't have to start right away,” he said, “I should have taken things slower. And I'm sorry for that.”

“It's not your fault. Our parents- I agreed to this. I could have said no. I could have stayed on Earth. But I can better protect it here. Alex would fight until her dying breath, she wouldn't let Brenham use her or hurt anyone she cares about.”

“I could have argued against it too. I could have tried harder and still found a way to protect you from Brenham. I could have avoided-”

“How would your people have reacted? People like to talk, surely Brenham would have found out then Earth would have been on their radar anyway. This was the only sure way that Earth and Argo would remain safe. I realized that the minute you mentioned Brenham. I need to learn to get used to a new normal. I've done it before, I can do it again.”

“What something you would have done on Earth? After a long day at work at being Supergirl?” the question caught Kara off guard and she shrugged then thought about it for a moment.

“My sister and I would order Chinese food and watch a movie,” she said.

“Unfortunately we don't have Chinese food here but we do have movies,” he said grabbing the remote and pressing a few buttons. He swiftly selected a movie something that took over an hour for her and Alex and grabbed what looked like some kind of phone and sent a message.

About twenty minutes into the movie, which Kara was trying her best to pay attention to, their dinner arrived. The food was similar to last night's. There was some kind of meat in a soup and a small leafy side like a salad and some bread. The meal was light and she knew the reason was because her physician wanted her to eat meals that weren't heavy for the first week so she could get used to the food on Nibiru. The soup was gone quickly as was the salad and bread and Kara moved to change into something more comfortable. She went into the closet but wasn't sure what to grab. There were only a few items that were prepared for her and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to sleep in. Then she felt Liam behind her reaching to grab a cream nightgown that felt like silk.

“Thank you,” she said and quickly changed into it. When she went back into the antechamber Liam was already back on the couch in his own sleepwear. Dark green bottoms and a plain white shirt. His looked more comfortable that what she was wearing. She surprised both of them by sitting next to him, mere inches from him as he resumed the movie. An hour more into the movie Kara felt her eyelids become heavy and she rested her head on Liam's shoulder. This was their new normal, one they both had to get used to.


	6. A New Normal

The next day Liam spent all his time with Kara and the day after that. He took her on a personal tour of the castle and showed her his favorite places. In the days that followed he would include her while he worked on his duties as king. There was gossip of course about why he was being so protective, why she followed him around like a child, and why she was so quiet. Slowly Kara got to know the palace staff, the guards, and Viv her lady-in-waiting. She was even able to speak with her sister.

She was set up with a mobile communicator and when she entered in her sister's phone number, with the proper galaxy area code, her sister picked up.

“Alex Danvers,” she said. She sounded annoyed and Kara could hear the DEO in the background.

“Alex, it's-”

“Kara, oh my God. Are you okay? Hold on, let me go somewhere private.” She waited a minute and her sister asked again if she was okay. Then if Liam was treating her well. And if the food was good. What Rifar was like. When she'd be returning to Earth.

Kara couldn't answer all her questions in detail.

“I'm adjusting but I'm fine. Liam is treating me well. You don't need to worry about him. The food is fine, they don't want me eating to heavy at the moment. I haven't seen a lot of Rifar yet. I don't know when I'll be heading back to Earth but I'll let you know as soon as I do. How are things there? With the DEO and Lex? And tell everyone I say hi, I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone.”

“Lex made a speech the other day that Supergirl has gone off world to help protect Earth from threats beyond our galaxy. Superman was there which Lex was thrilled about. Lena keeps bugging me for answers about why you're gone. William actually asked about you. I told him that you were in an accident. But I didn't get much further than that.”

“He's going to think Lex did something,” Kara said, “Steer him away. I told him I'd help him find something on Lex Luthor and-”

“You what? Lex knows who you are. He probably has a cache of kryptonite somewhere. He could reveal your identity to the world, could kill you.”

“It's a good thing I'm not on Earth anymore then,” she said and there was an awkward silence.

“Tell me more about Rifar,” she said, “Or what it's like being a queen.” Kara told her about how right now she felt like Liam's shadow but to start being a queen immediately was too overwhelming. That Liam was doing his best to protect her until she was ready. That some of her powers remained and she spend some time training every day. That it was the only time she felt normal.

“And at night,” Alex said, “When you're alone?” Kara paused not knowing what to say.

“I know it's not something we really talk about but I'm worried about you and I want to make sure that he's-”

“Nothing's happened, we're waiting until it'll be more natural,” Kara said and Alex could tell by her sister's tone that the topic was incredibly uncomfortable.

“And he's okay with that?” Alex asked not believing it could be true.

“He's the one who suggested we wait. He's not as thrilled about this situation either Alex.”

“ _Then he shouldn't have left with you_ ,” Alex said.

“I left with him. Alex, I can't have this argument again. Brenham is-”

“We could have fought them. Screw Brainy's numbers. You wouldn't even bother listening to what I had to say.”

“Because I know the kind of damage they can do!”

“No, you don't! You just know what you've been told. People exaggerate Kara.”

“There's video footage, would you like me to send you some? The footage of parents starving, children dying, and people who could be an advantage being used on the frontline of a war just trying to survive. I said yes when I was twelve years old because I saw the videos. I didn't really understand what I was saying yes to then but I do now. I said yes a week ago because I didn't want that to happen to you, or J'onn or Nia or Lena or Kate or anyone else on Earth. I made this choice so you can live and have a normal life.”

“My life isn't normal without you here,” Alex said then Kara heard Lena. She realized it was Kara she was speaking to and wanted to know what was going on.

“Like you care,” Alex spat. Kara heard them argue and heard a door slam.

“I'm sure you have work to get back to,” Kara said

“I miss you,” Alex said a sob escaping.

“I love you,” Kara said, “I'll call when I can.” Kara had wanted to call her every day since then but didn't have the courage. When Liam asked her how it went she told him that Alex was trying to get used to her new normal too.

At night they no longer slept with a pillow between them. They would watch a different movie every night and they would sit next to each other. They were getting used to each other's company but there was still tension. Kara still heard the gossip though tried not to let it bother her but it did. She did not share this with Liam. He likely grew up hearing the palace gossip all the time. It came with the territory. And Kara had heard all the gossip when she was going to school on Earth and at the beginning it was about her but that stopped. She had a feeling the gossip wouldn't shift away from her for a while.

After being on Rifar for a week and a half Kara was slowly learning her duties as queen despite not having had a coronation yet. That would happen in a few days. She went to the dining hall where options were set up and chose the meals for the celebration dinner. Dr. Sappal, her physician, was there in case she was allergic to any of the choices. There was one option she did not enjoy spitting it out immediately. She apologized to the chef but he did not show that he was bothered. In fact he seemed surprised at her politeness which Kara figured was due to the previous queen.

Dr. Sappal kept a close eye on Kara the entire time and even after the tasting was over she stayed. Kara stayed seated at the table. She asked her if she was feeling alright. If she needed to rest. She had checked on her previously when Kara had first become overwhelmed. Physically she was in good health but she knew that immigrating to a new planet wasn't easy. She mentioned if she needed to speak someone, there was always someone available. There was a toll it took; she had seen it with the previous queen and others of the nobility who moved to Nibiru. Kara assured her she was fine then stood up. She thanked her then left the room speaking with Calisa one of her guards.

She finished up her fitting for her coronation dress and the dress she'd wear to dinner. The seamstresses were must less chatty as their boss was there. She said nothing about the blisters that were clearly visible beneath Kara's stockings. She did give her new shoes though taking away her boots. While they weren't the most attractive of shoes they were more comfortable which is what the king requested. Kara said nothing to the shoe change and left the room to go to her combat lesson.

She was learning the combats that were taught to soldiers of Rifar. She picked up the techniques integrating them into her own style. So far none of the soldiers had knocked her down but she wasn't sure if it was due to her skill or their hesitation in being seen as attacking their future queen. Today though she did fall. Her feet were killing her. The boots she wore weren't like the ones she wore with her uniform. Those fit to her feet perfectly and the other ones didn't. She had noticed the blisters forming a couple of days ago but didn't say anything because they didn't hurt as much as they did now. She still stood up and wanted to continue despite the hesitation from everyone in the room. She snapped at them questioning them that when they were knocked down did they remain there? She saw the flash of fear in their eyes and wanted to learn more about the previous queen. She regretted her tone but didn't want to stop. This was the only time she felt normal.

“Hey, Carson I-,” Liam said entering the room then stopped when he noticed the tension. Everyone stood at attention as Kara turned to look at him. Seeing him was a reminder that none of this was normal to her. She wasn't in combat with Alex or J'onn or Brainy. She wasn't preparing for a fight against a threat. She was no longer Supergirl or Kara Danvers or even Kara Zor-El. Her wearing a necklace with her house crest or putting on her uniform didn't change anything. It didn't change her situation. She muttered an excuse me and brushed past Liam. She was going down a flight of stairs when Liam caught up with her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

“What happened?” he asked, “Are you hurt?”

“No, I'm fine. I'm fine,” she said.

“No, you're not,” he said.

“I just needed a minute. I'm trying, okay. I'm trying.”

“I know you are,” he responded and then wrapped his arms around her but she didn't feel the comfort in the embrace. She had never felt so small in her Supergirl uniform. If she had stayed on Earth Brenham would have destroyed everything she loved Kara reminded herself. She was protecting Earth right now her feelings shouldn't matter. She had been through worse. Alex was alive. Her mother was alive. Her home was safe.

“It's nearly time for lunch, why don't we have it in our room?” he asked and Kara nodded. When they entered their room Kara mentioned taking a shower and when she was done their food had arrived. Liam tried to make conversation but Kara wasn't up for small talk. Liam eventually asked for Kara's phone and when she handed it over he looked through her short contact list pressing Alex's name.

“Kara,” Alex said relief in her voice because she hadn't heard from her sister in a week and she couldn't contact her. Then Liam pressed a couple of buttons and Kara could see video of her sister. “Are you okay? What's happened these past two weeks? Why haven't you called? I've been worried sick!”

“Our rotation must be different than Earth's,” Kara said, “It's only been about seven days since I spoke to you.”

“You should start calling me as often as you can instead of waiting a week, call me every day or every other day. I know our last conversation didn't end well and Lena won't stop bugging me. Leave it to her to care after you're gone,” Alex grumbled.

“Have you managed to convince William to stay away from Lex?”

“No, and he refuses to believe that your accident wasn't caused by Lex. And he wants to see you at the hospital you aren't staying at. If he keeps bugging me I'll talk to J'onn,” Alex responded, “But that doesn't matter right now. I want to know how you're doing.”

“I'm still adjusting. I um- I got this tattoo that translates any language for me,” she said showing Alex her tattoo behind her ear the best she could then she showed her the one on her wrist.

“This one is exactly like Liam's. They're connected. They have trackers and monitor our pulse and-”

“Wait they have trackers in them? And how is it connected to Liam's?”

“Yeah, but you could easily track me in National City and their technology is more advanced than what's on Earth. I'm not really sure how it all works. It's for my safety. I don't have the full extent of my powers here and I can't just easily hide in a crowd here.”

“Powers? You have your powers?”

“Only some of them. There's only so much time I have to practice. What I can do isn't to the extent of what it was under a yellow sun.” Their conversation continued for another ten minutes and Kara was about to end it when Alex asked her one more question.

“Kara, how are you really doing? And don't just say you're fine because we both know that's a lie.”

“I am fine. It's just an adjustment that's all. I'd thought it'd be easier than this. I'm learning their customs and rules and expectations, it's just a lot. But I've done it before, I can do it again. I um, I have to go. My coronation is coming up so... I'll call you in a couple of days,” Kara said.

“Wait Kara-” but she hung up the phone. 


	7. Coronation

“You're going to become queen today,” Liam said seconds after Kara woke up the morning of her coronation.

“I keep hearing all of these comments about the last queen. What was she like?”

“Nothing like you,” he said, “Uh... well she was verbally abusive to the staff and even the guards. I didn't see her much. About fifteen years after the agreement was made, I was eight, my parents died and my brother became king. I was sent to the southern castle and then trained to join the army. She had six daughters. The oldest is around twenty five I believe. Youngest is ten. Didn't really get to know any of them until maybe a few months ago. My brother decided to continue my father's legacy and have war after war. As someone who has seen a battle field for the past decade and a half I didn't want to send anymore of my people into that situation. Some of my advisors don't agree with that decision. They've grown used to war.”

“And if I had not honored the agreement your parents set up...”

“They'd have seen it as an excuse to go to war again.”

“You did what you had to. To protect your people. Just like I did,” Kara said sitting up. Liam fixed a strap that had fallen on the top she had worn to bed.

“I should probably shower before Viv gets here,” Kara said awkwardly.

“Yes, of course. I'm going to check on our breakfast,” he said as she headed toward the bathroom.

Kara didn't realize how annoying a corset could be. It wasn't painful like she expected but her breathing was more shallow and eating wasn't going to be the easiest of tasks. The gown was dark red and had silver jewels embroidered on it. It was a strapless ballgown that was paired with silver heels. Throughout the preparation Liam was in and out. He had to prepare for the coronation too and meet with the nobility and his sister-in-law and nieces. Kara wouldn't be meeting them until the dinner.

She had a practice ceremony and had easily memorized the speech given to her. And as she spoke the words standing in front of around a hundred people and a few dozen cameras she knew there was little joy or hope in them. Then it was over and she was ushered off to her dressing room to change into a new gown. This gown was a dark purple, had off the shoulder sleeves, an aline skirt, and floral embroidery across the bodice. Liam wore his military dress uniform the entire time.

Dinner was more difficult to get through than the ceremony. Kara was introduced to everyone at the meal. The former queen, Esla, had a sour face most of the time. Kara could hear her complaining about the food to her four older daughters, who clearly had no interest at being there. When Liam went to speak with one of the earls Esla spoke to Kara.

“I'm only here because it's my duty but I thought I'd at least greet you personally. One queen to another,” she said.

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Kara responded.

“Hopefully you'll be able to give the king a boy,” she said, “If he's anything like his brother he wont be pleased when one doesn't show up. And neither will his people.” Then she left her standing there. The past two weeks she had tried to forget one of her jobs as queen. The constant gossip made it nearly impossible. But he had told her he was okay with waiting to sleep together so surely he was in no rush for a son. Right? Her thoughts were interrupted when she was greeted by the duchess of one of the provinces. Uzdine? Or was it Huline? She was pleasant enough and helped distract her the rest of the evening. And Kara realized she was the closet in age to her than the others. As was her husband, maybe only a few years older than Liam.

“That wasn't so awful was it?” Liam asked as he closed the door behind them.

“No, Duchess Jolie was very friendly,” she said.

“Yes, we actually knew each other quite well growing up. Her husband, was a medic, well still is I suppose. Would you like me to call Viv in to help you out of your gown and to draw a bath?”

“No, you can help me if you'd like,” Kara said. Liam gently moved her hair out of the way and started to unlace the back letting the dress pool to the ground. Then he went to draw the bath while she wiped off the make-up painted on her face. When he informed her the bath was ready she surprised both of them by saying he could join her, like their first night.

This time she wasn't as stiff when he bathed her. She didn't flinch when he leaned her back into the water to wash her hair. His fingertips did touch her skin more than previously but she wasn't nervous. She wasn't telling herself this was what was expected of her like the last time. She wasn't ready to sleep with him but she knew he wasn't like the last king. His treatment of her since meeting with her on Earth had showed her that. He was in no rush for a son, at least not yet. But she wondered about his people. What if they did not like how he ruled? What if they grew frustrated with the changes? Would a child appease them? Would a son appease them? An heir to the throne?

“What are you thinking about?” he asked her running his fingers through her hair.

“I'm just glad to relax,” she said.

“I'm pleased you find this relaxing,” he said. Eventually they both stepped out of the tub and dried off. Kara laid down next to him in the bed. He traced her jawline with his finger then touched her lips.

“We can do this,” he said, “Protect everyone. You were doing it before just in a different outfit.”

“Your people. They'll expect an heir,” she said, “Won't they?”

“You don't have to worry about that. There's no need to-”

“But a son will assure your place on the throne.”

“Well, sure but I'm not worried about that assurance right now. I just took you away from your home Kara, to appease my people. My place on the throne is fine and even if it wasn't-”

“If your people aren't happy they could execute you, replace you with someone else.”

“Where did you get that idea? We're a civilized society Kara, kings aren't executed anymore and it hasn't happened in Rifar for nearly four centuries. Trust me if they didn't execute my father or brother they won't execute me.”

“Esla said-”

“My brother was not kind to Esla and he blamed her for not having a son even though the science stated otherwise. She had six girls and the people did nothing to remove her or my brother from the throne. They have lived under a feared tyrant. But I'm going to change that- we're going to change that.”

“You might not hear the gossip but I do. How long do you think it'll be until the people are unsure of our alliance? One year, two or three? They expect a child from our union to continue your line, a male child. I'm not saying I'm ready but we need to talk about it.”

“Okay, we will, just not to night, please,” he said clearly frustrated. When Kara awoke in the middle of the night as usual she expected Liam to be facing away from her but his arm was around her, keeping her close. She thought about their conversation from earlier. She hardly knew Liam. She did not want to have his child. But she knew it was just another expectation of her as queen.

“Kara?” Liam asked and she rolled over to face him.

“How did you know I was awake?”

“You wake up around this time every night. Sometimes you move, or your breathing changes, or you get out of bed entirely,” he said, “I wanted to apologize about earlier. I don't want to push you when I've already forced you into so much.”

“You didn't force me into anything. This situation was created a long time ago. Before you were born and before I ended up on Earth,” Kara said, “I'm not ready to have a child but this is a way to protect everyone... isn't it?”

“I don't know. But it shouldn't be something that's on a task list,” he said, “There are other ways to ensure that I won't be kicked off the throne.”

“I am relying on you because you know your kingdom better than I do. But if this is one thing that can help, that I can do-”

“It doesn't have to happen now. There are other ways you can help. Your job as queen goes beyond having an heir,” he said, “That's all Esla did because that's all that was expected of her, all my brother expected of her. I don't expect that of you.” Before Kara had a chance to reply a phone began to ring. It wasn't Liam's, it was her's. It was a National City area code.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Kara,” it was Lena.

“Lena how did you... how were you able to... I was told that-”

“I figured how out how to contact you, it doesn't really matter how does it? Alex isn't giving me any information. It's nearly been a month. What's going on? Where the hell are you? And who was that man who you went with?” Kara went to get off the bed and Liam flipped on the lights then moved to start a fire in the antechamber. She sat on the couch as Liam grabbed her a sweater to cover her nightgown.

“Kara, why did you leave Earth?” Lena asked.

“It's complicated and a lot to explain. All I can say is I left to protect everyone.”

“No, you can say more. Alex knows more, not that she'll share... What's going on?”

“Lena I can't-”

“You won't tell me because of Lex. That's the reason right?”

“You're right. I don't trust Lex.”

“And you clearly don't trust me. I don't even know why I bothered calling.”

“There's a planet and the people that live there are dangerous. The anti-matter wave was- well merciful compared to them,” Kara said.

“And you're better on some other planet than here where you can fight them?”

“Earth is safer with me here. There's no use fighting Brenham. Those who tried...” Kara trailed off. She had seen even more footage of their destruction. Half the meetings Liam were in covered this footage and how they could help more and what information they should bring up at the new Council meeting. During these meetings Kara felt somewhat like her old self. She spoke up with strategy ideas but they were usually shot down.

“It's not like you to take the easy way out.”

“Easy way out? You think this is _easy_? You know what's not easy? Moving to a new planet, again! Marrying a stranger! And becoming queen of a country! You think I didn't want to fight? There is no point in fighting an army from Brenham. And you want to know what they'd do to you? They'd use you. They'd experiment on you. Or you could help them experiment on people. You're used to that,” Kara's voice was dripping venom.

“You're just saying this because you want to break ties with everyone on Earth, because it's easier for you,” Lena said trying to hide how hurt she was.

“It's safer for everyone that way,” Kara said her voice breaking. Liam grabbed the phone from her and brought it to his ear.

“My wife needs to sleep. I'd prefer it if you didn't call in the middle of the night,” he said, “She'll call in the morning or not.” Then he hung up on Lena Luthor. Kara let out a sob and Liam pulled her into his arms.

“I'm sorry,” he said because what else was there to say? No, there was more he could say, more he could tell her, secrets he wanted to share. He knew what would make her feel better but he couldn't promise anything yet. He held her in his arms after she had fallen asleep. He had done this to her. He wished she hadn't come so willingly. He wished she had fought because then she would have won and it looked like she was going to fight, then he had mentioned Brenham. He had done this to her. He had taken a great hero from a planet and destroyed them. It was one thing to move from your home, to become a ruler, to be married to a stranger but all at once was too much and he had done this to her. He had taken her from her home. He had made her his wife and he had made her queen. He had made her someone to be protected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, leaving Kudos and comments! I'm looking at updating every Thursday and Sunday or just Sunday before Supergirl airs. I do plan on including a chapter with Mxy but it won't be for a while.


	8. Frustrations

During Kara's first week as queen she attended morning meetings with Liam and spent her afternoons being tutored on everything there was to know about Rifar. While she preferred the clothing she had worn her first two weeks on Rifar she had seen the clothing that previous queens and other noble women wore on their day-to-day basis. It wasn't what she was wearing. So she went to the seamstresses and explained what she wanted. She showed them photos and color choices and picked out the fabric.

“And this wardrobe change isn't because I'm pregnant. I get you like to talk and gossip but it needs to stop,” Kara said to the young women surrounding her.

“Your majesty, we-”

“Save it. I worked for a newspaper and I grew up with super hearing. I know there's going to be gossip, I know you like to hear all the different stories. I know you all want to know when a baby will be on the way. Maybe it's because you like making infant clothes more. I don't know and I don't really care. You will find out when a baby is on the way along with the rest of the kingdom. Talk about what ever you want but it won't be about me or the King or the future prince or princess. And if you do the castle won't be your home anymore, am I understood?”

“Yes, your majesty,” both girls said and Kara caught the head seamstress, Joyce, smile.

Kara called Alex and explained she only had the time to call her once a week or once every two weeks in Earth time. Alex called her out on it. Lena had spoken to her. She doubted they'd be friends again but they were working together. Alex didn't trust her and didn't trust Lex to not start a war with Brenham. So she spent as much time as she could with Lena which was how she learned that she had been able to contact Kara. And that her husband had hung up on her. She had shown Alex how she'd contacted Kara but Alex had chosen to wait until her sister called her despite how impatient she was.

“I know you're hurting,” she said, “Please let me help you.”

“How? Your millions of light years away. Besides you need to keep an eye on Lex. You shouldn't be worrying about me,” Kara said, “Time here is different. It's only been three weeks. It's going to be a while until I'm-”

“It took you years to adjust to Earth,” Alex cut in. Kara was tired of an argument she had already had multiple times. Just like she was tired of the one she had with Liam about how their situation could have been different but wouldn't ever be. They hadn't argued about anything in the past week. But it felt like they were walking on eggshells around each other so there was little conversation anyway. He felt guilty and she felt guilty for making him feel guilty.

“Kara, are you even listening to me?” Alex asked.

“It's been a long day; Liam's been stuck in meetings and I've been holed up in the library with my tutor so I haven't seen him since dawn. My new wardrobe will be ready tomorrow and I'm having lunch with the Duchess of Grigone. I shouldn't have called. I'm actually quite tired.”

“Wait, Kara I-”

“I have to go. Love you.” Another week dragged on. And at the end of it Kara sat on the couch and watched the television. From the news programs and late night talk shows the people weren't unhappy with Liam. The changes he made hadn't really rippled through the kingdom yet. But they were extremely curious about her. They had managed to find footage of her as Supergirl and were playing it on loop. Her dinner was delivered but Liam wasn't there to eat it with her. She was still alone an hour later watching a TMZ- esque reporter talk about the photos of her during her tour of Eastloch. They criticized her clothing which were still plain and talked about her posture and the route they took. What they didn't show was the footage of her in the hospital. Of her greeting the dozens of patients recovering from their war injuries. Of the children who hugged Liam because they were glad their parents were home safe. For the families directly affected by the wars they were glad that there was a new king.

“Hey, what are you still doing up?” Liam said entering their suite then he looked at the television. It was an old concert that Kara had gone half asleep listening to.

“I was waiting for you,” she said turning off the television as he sat on the couch next to her.

“You've been watching more of those- shows,” he said.

“Cause we'll get an honest answer if we outright ask the people if they're happy with you as king. This is criticisms of us, we know what they're thinking and they're polling the people too. It's better than listening to palace gossip.”

“I heard you put a stop to that,” he said letting out a laugh, “Scared the crap out of those seamstresses.”

“Yeah. It was just getting to me I guess,” Kara said, “I've hardly seen you this week or last week. What have you been up to?”

“Trying to figure out how to clean up this war. The most recent one anyway. Everything with Luxo's a mess. And the western border of Rifar is a mess. The budget needs to be reworked. We have, what you would call, a parliament system. I'm going to speak with them tomorrow. Then there are these two dukes who were incredibly loyal to my brother and they are less than thrilled with me. My advisors suggested I strip them of their titles and they're right. I should, they've been a problem ever since I became king. There were soldiers I fought with who I've already decided should be the next duke and duchess respectively. I just have to make the announcement. It's slow moving progress but it's progress.” He ran his hand through his hair. Then Kara kissed him. He was shocked at first and didn't move then he pulled her closer. She began to unbutton his top.

“Wait, Kara,” he said stopping her.

“What? What's wrong? Don't you want this?” she asked.

“We still barely know each other. We've hardly gotten the chance to get to know each other,” he said, “And we don't need to rush anything.” She had been there a month and they had hardly had any intimate moments together and the past week she had only seen him at breakfast. When she awoke in the night she felt him against her in bed but she had no clue when he came back at night.

“Is there someone else?” she asked. He looked confused for a moment then horrified then angry.

“No! No! I am not my brother. I don't keep a brothel of women to have sex with whenever I desire. Is that what you've heard? Kara, I- I'm not that kind of person. If I was, would I have said we could wait?” He was upset and was waiting for Kara to say something.

“Is that what you think of me?” he finally asked.

“No! I just- I feel like we've hardly made any progress. Not you being king or me being queen. Us. My mother when I was leaving she said that we'd grow to love each other. But these past two weeks... these past two weeks I've never felt so alone,” Kara said her voice breaking tears beginning to spill, “All Alex wants is for me to come home and you feel guilty for taking me from my home. But you shouldn't. Because I made the choice too. I made the choice to leave. We know there wasn't another choice and we keep discussing it like there was one. We keep circling the topic. Alex brings it up pretty much every time she calls then there's Lena who just wants to know what's going on but if her brother were to find out he'd want to attack Brenham before they attack Earth.”

“There's been no noise when it comes to Brenham and Earth. Earth isn't on their radar,” he said, “And I didn't mean to avoid you this week. The progress is slow but there is progress and everything going on has taken all of my time and all of my focus.” Kara hated how she felt. She hated feeling small, alone, and helpless. She hated that she couldn't have a conversation with her sister without crying afterwards. She hated having to rely on someone who still felt like a stranger in so many ways. She was tired of the tears and the comfort. She just wanted normalcy already. She wanted to go back to Earth. And she wanted to scream that at the top of her lungs. But she didn't.

He was going to tell her. Liam had decided that he had to do it now. She was going to have hope again, she was going to go home again.

“Look-” he began to say but Kara cut him off shaking her head.

“I'm going to bed, this was a bad idea” Kara said getting up to walk away but Liam grabbed her. He was standing now and he pulled her to him.

“You don't just get to walk away,” he said. That wasn't how a discussion worked or an argument. And it wasn't like walking away changed anything. Closing a door didn't end the issue, didn't hide it. It existed and she couldn't walk away from it, neither of them could.

“Why? Because we're married? I wish I could walk away. I'm grateful for your protection of Earth. And from what I've learned about your brother I'm glad I didn't marry him. But I didn't want this.”

“You think I wanted to marry you? I didn't want to take you from your life. I was fine with marrying the princess of Luxo. But I had to honor an arrangement that was made years before I was born. Marry some woman who knows nothing about my home? About my planet? Who clearly doesn't want to be here? This hasn't been easy for me either.”

“I'm glad we're on the same page then,” she said and went to tear her arm away but he kept a firm grasp on her.

“Let me go!” and he dodged out of the way as a blast of her heat vision hit the wall behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Let me know if you want an update on Thursday!


	9. Two Suns

Kara fell to her knees. She began to stand but stumbled disoriented. What had just happened? She felt Liam lifting her up. She wanted to tell him to stop but her energy was gone. There was no way she could have walked to the bed.

“We- we need to call Alex,” she said and she saw he was already reaching for her phone.

“Kara, I'm sorry about earlier, I know you can't change the-”

“Alex,” Liam said, “It's Liam. We need your help.”

“Oh my God. What's happened? Where's Kara? What's happened to Kara?”

“Alex, I'm okay,” Kara said but even she could hear how weak her voice sounded, “I used my heat vision but it's taken all of my energy.” 

“Your heat vision how, why did it show itself now?”

“We were having an argument and-”

“What did he do? What did he do to you?”

“Nothing, look that's not the point,” Kara said, “All I know is that afterwards I fell and I- oh Rao the room is spinning.”

“What color is your sun?” Alex asked and then went to grab Brainy.

“We have two near Nibiru: a red and a yellow,” Liam said running his hand over Kara's forehead. What if she died before getting a chance to see Earth again? He had caused her to become so angry.

“That explains why she only has so many of her powers. Her body doesn't know what to do,” Brainy said, “A warm bath should help temporarily until her body adjusts.”

“She's been here a month,” Liam growled. How the hell was a warm bath supposed to help? That didn't make any sense? She wasn't feverish.

“And how often has she been in the sun?” Brainy asked.

“I- I don't-” he didn't know. He hadn't seen her much, they'd been busy- he'd been busy.

“I was outside a couple of days ago. But it's been snowing lately,” Kara said, “I haven't spent a lot of time outside in general because of how cold it's been. And I've had no need to actually leave the castle.”

“And you aren't used to the cold,” Alex said, “Okay, Brainy how long everyday would she need to spend outside before her body is accustomed to the two suns?”

“It's hard to say,” Brainy said, “Because she's not here-”

“No, she's not but you're going to have to figure it out anyway,” Alex snapped.

“I'll call in the morning,” Kara said.

“Okay, I'll make sure Brainy has an answer,” Alex said.

“How can a bath help? She doesn't have a fever?” Liam jumped in before the call was disconnected.

“It'll help stop the dizziness, possibly regulate her body from the conflicting suns. The exact science is very complicated and I'm sure beyond your intelligence,” Brainy said. He heard Alex in the background saying she wanted to hear as soon as possible then told Brainy to figure it out before the line went dead. Kara went to move but the room was still spinning.

“Stop,” Kara said when Liam went to help her, “I can't keep relying on you.”

“I'm your husband. And it's not like I haven't relied on you.”

“How have you relied on me?”

“I relied on you saying yes. And in the city the other day. And at the coronation and the dinner. And I will rely on you everyday for the rest of my life because you are my queen. I'm sorry these least two weeks haven't been great. I could have helped a lot more than I did or rather didn't.”

“Stop, don't blame yourself.”

“You blame yourself too. You blame yourself for saying yes all those years ago and for saying yes again. You blame yourself for leaving Earth. I'm to blame too. But right now blame shouldn't matter. Please, let me help you.” Kara bit her lip and nodded letting Liam lift her out of bed.

In the days that followed it was Liam who stayed close to Kara's side. They took twice hour long walks in the garden daily. She was checked by Dr. Sappal at Liam's and Alex's insistence. Her and Liam didn't talk about what had happened the other night. Not the kiss or the argument. News of what had happened had somehow leaked to the press and a brief statement was made. Kara was healthy and what had happened was just part of her adjustment to Nibiru's atmosphere. Alex had also called several times a day, the worry evident in her voice every time. She argued with Liam but Kara only caught bits of the conversation, something about why he didn't mention they had a red and a yellow sun when they were on Argo.

Eventually Kara was able to convince Liam to return to his work. She wasn't a porcelain doll and she wouldn't shatter. He didn't understand this statement but spoke with parliament and dismissed the dukes which made front page news and shifted the focus from her if only for a short while. Kara spent time researching various charities. Of course Esla had no interest in helping the people and did nothing so the few charities that did exist, at least in the city lacked, well, everything. But Kara knew nothing about running a charity. She knew how to be a reporter and be a superhero. She couldn't just go ask for a reporter position at the main newspaper and no way could she put on her cape without having fully adjusted to Nibiru's two suns.

When her sister or Lena would try to call she refused to answer. She needed space from what she had given up and being constantly reminded was too hard. Kara began to accept the role of being queen. She arranged for the kitchen to send leftover food to orphanages and homeless shelters in the area. Most of the children were orphaned due to parents having died in the wars. And the shelters were full due the western province from being destroyed because of the most recent war with Luxo. So, while Liam spent time calming his advisors and trying to better the lives of everyone in Rifar, Kara worked on finding ways to build homes for these people and finding homes for these kids. She knew the foster system on Earth wasn't perfect but she thought about Alex and how if she could she'd take one of these kids into her home.

The photos and video footage that was now discussed on late night talk shows weren't of fancy dinner parties or of meeting the people but of Kara meeting with planners to build tiny portable homes for those displaced because of the war. Photos were captured of her with children who had lost their parents. Slowly she began to adjust to life in Rifar. She was helping these people. She was doing something good. And she talked with Liam about what else he could do as king becoming one of his advisors. The unsaid was still there. Kara hadn't kissed him since that night and Liam hadn't touched her in any way suggesting they were a couple. When they were out in public those first few days his arm was around her protectively which news reports stated was due to her “near death experience” or “possible pregnancy”. And while the latter wasn't true Kara wondered if it was for the former.

Kara had more lunches with duchesses and met with the new duke and duchesses that Liam had named over the following week and a half. The couples she met seemed genuinely happy and though she didn't ask she was sure some of them had arranged marriages like she did. She wondered if she would be happy with him, if she'd ever love him. She had grown more comfortable with him, even content but that wasn't the same as love.

Spending more time outside daily had helped Kara adjust despite how much she didn't like the cold. She didn't have flight but she could jump fairly high. Her full strength hadn't returned. Her hearing remained the same as did her sight since when she arrived. Liam was reluctant about her testing her heat vision and freeze breath. She had regained those powers but they were still draining, not as bad as the last time but she still needed to rest for a short while afterwards. Liam didn't specifically tell Kara not to use her powers but she knew he wanted to. And she knew it was because he was concerned for her safety. She still trained, this time in a room with floor to ceiling windows, and she did use her powers. But beyond that room she didn't use them.

When Kara returned to her room one afternoon planning to shower off the days work and warm up from being outside all day Liam was there to greet her. This surprised her because she didn't usually see him until dinner.

“Liam,” Kara said, “Is everything alright?”

“Everything's fine. I decided to take the rest of the day off, well kind of, I finished what I could then left. If anything major happens I'll be nearby of course.”

“Oh,” Kara said shrugging off her coat and removing her hat, “I still don't understand why.”

“I wanted to spend time with you. Breakfast and dinner and the few remaining hours of the day wasn't enough. We- we can make this work and the only way to do that is actually working on it.”

“I don't really want to talk about-”

“We don't have to talk about the other night. We don't. Not if you don't want to.” Kara shook her head then asked what he wanted to do almost asking what was there to do. She had no clue what couples did for date night in Rifar and she had a feeling neither did Liam. She had done her research on him and in stereotypical rich-boy fashion he did go through a party boy phase. She thought of Mon-El and Oliver both having previously been known for their nights drinking and sleeping around. On Earth they'd maybe go out for a nice dinner or a movie or to a concert. But they couldn't do that here could they? And it was too cold to do anything outside, leaving the castle usually meant being followed by guards and paparazzi. They couldn't have a date like that.

“I have an outfit picked out for you,” he said, “It's hanging in the bathroom.” Kara glanced at the outfit before she showered. It was a light pink blouse paired with light wash blue pants that were made of a denim like fabric. The outfit felt out of place. The media had something to say every single time they saw her in pants like these. Women wore pants on Rifar that wasn't the issue. She was wearing something akin to the work pants she wore when helping with building homes for the homeless. But pants were often seen as unfitting of a queen. She walked out into the antechamber to see Liam in similar pants and a light blue shirt.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I didn't show you every part of the castle,” he said offering his arm. Kara tried to keep track of their path but he kept talking distracting her. They stopped at a door with two guards in front of it and he placed his hands over her eyes.

“Liam,” she said, “What are you doing?” He didn't answer and she heard the doors open.

“Keep your eyes closed,” he said removing his hand. He moved in front of the and pulled her into the room. Kara didn't have to open her eyes to feel the warm, yellow sun on her skin. She lifted herself a few feet off the floor then looked down. She was flying. She let out a laugh then realized she had brought Liam with her. She brought them back to the ground and looked around her. The room was filled with flowers and fruits and vegetables and all other kinds of plants.

“Where are we? What is all this? I thought you already showed me the palace greenhouse.”

“This is one of our greenhouses. My family used to travel to other planets all of the time. And they would bring back seed banks. Our top scientists were able to engineer each greenhouse with the proper sun. I couldn't show you this place earlier because it wasn't in the best shape. Most of our greenhouses aren't. My parents didn't see them as important and delegated the staff elsewhere. The other night when you- I wanted to bring you here but it wasn't ready yet. Every plant in here is from-”

“Earth,” Kara said seeing the roses and hibiscus flowers and the sunflowers. There were honeybees and butterflies floating moving about. The outfit now made sense. There was no way she could wear her usual outfits or even ones she wore like when she first arrived in here. It was too warm.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“I love it,” she said.

“The kitchen is bringing us dinner in a few hours,” he said, “Why don't you show me some of your favorites?” They walked around the greenhouse as Kara showed him all the different kinds of flowers. She pointed out the rhododendrons that were a bright pink color, the yellow tulips, the violet violets, and the blue irises. And she mentioned their origins; their names and home countries.

“Why do you know so much about Earth flowers?”

“I focused on them when I first arrived on Earth. On Krypton we have this plant that grows with you and afterwards I think focusing on plants was a way I could connect with my new home. There are no plants that grow with you on Earth,” Kara said, “I know a lot about fruits and vegetables too.” He took her to where the fruit was and watched as she checked to see if any were ripe.

“It'll be a while until any are ready. These are strawberries, they're really good with whipped cream which is up sugar and cream mixed together. Or- do you have cocoa beans here? We could dip them in chocolate! Wait, I don't know how to make chocolate from cocoa beans.”

“I'm sure the chefs can figure it out.” They walked around the greenhouse more and eventually their meal was brought. Liam had a small round white table set up with chairs to eat. The food was light and different from the heavier meals she'd been eating recently.

“There's one more spot I want to show you,” Liam said afterwards. He guided her to a small group of trees. She looked up at it to see a treehouse was built onto it's branches. Instead of a typical rope ladder there was a set of stairs. She climbed the stairs as Liam followed behind her. Stepping through the doorway her breath caught in her throat. The room was huge and in the center was a large bed with crisp white sheets and sheer white curtains. String lights bordered the room and there was a large window overlooking the rest of the greenhouse which was growing darker as the synthetic yellow sun began to set. Distantly Kara could see the two suns of Nibiru.

“Liam, it's gorgeous,” she said, “You had this all built?” He nodded then she asked why.

“I know our room can be a reminder of what you gave up,” he said and she thought about his house crest that hung on their wall and the artwork done by famous Nibiru painters and overall décor that was clearly leaning towards the royalty of Rifar instead of what Kara had in her National City apartment. It was the suite of a royal couple.

“So, I thought whenever you want, we can stay here for the night. I know it's not the same as Earth but-”

“It's perfect,” she said and then he pressed his lips to hers and she kissed him back.


	10. The Western Provinces

Liam and Kara stayed in the treehouse twice a week sometimes three. Kara also came up with the idea of using the various fruits and vegetables from all the kinds of greenhouses to help feed the people that had been displaced. Only one of the pod houses, as Liam called them, was ready and it was mainly to show the families of the western border what they'd be living in. There were siblings who were less than thrilled with having to share a room. And some of the wealthier families didn't like how small the homes were. They wanted their large, comfortable houses. Many of these families had spent a large amount of their money on luxury apartments and when they learned they'd be able to return to their old lives they were upset seeing the pods that would be their temporary homes until large, more luxurious homes were ready. But there was more to be done than building these pod homes. The entirety of western Rifar needed to be helped. Kara took a monorail out with Liam and they saw the extent of the damage. The wreckage of war was still being cleaned up but many of the buildings needed to help the provinces survive were in need of serious repair. There were a few families who remained, ones who had refused to leave during evacuations.

“What are you going to do?” Kara asked Liam when they were on their way back to the Eastloch a few days later.

“I don't know. The damage... I saw the footage but I didn't know that it was that bad. Thousands of civilians died during the war. Most of whom were in these provinces. Luxo didn't get anywhere near the main city. Those who lived there, the war was just a distant thought. They saw the news but my brother made sure that it didn't affect them. Didn't touch them like it did everyone here.”

“The homes won't be that helpful for people here if there's no one here and no way to live here.”

“So we rebuild the city and slowly let people return. Most of the citizens were located to the northern provinces with only a small handful in Eastloch. The families you met for the homes have been displaced the longest which is why some weren't happy with the homes. They've grown used to the city and like everyone there else they forgot about the war. It's easy for the talk shows to criticize us and for new shows and movies to focus on happy families or typical teenage drama. It's what they've been doing the past four years. It's what my brother wanted. To lull the powerful people into a sense of safety so he could continue trying to control other countries. At least Thom disagreed with Brenham.”

When they returned to the palace Liam immediately when to speak with who he could to get the western province back on it's feet. Kara went to their room and looked over her planner for the week with what she had planned and what she had put off during their trip. When Liam entered their suite he looked stressed and exhausted. She didn't bother asking him if he had been able to figure something out.

“I was just about to take a bath,” she said, “Do you want to join?” This was how they currently worked. When one of them had a bad day they sat in the bath together. It wasn't awkward anymore, at least not during these moments. In these moments Kara forgot. She forgot about Earth and Nibiru. She forgot about being Supergirl or that she was a queen. She forgot that she was in a bathtub, nude with a man she'd only known for around two months. She wondered if he forgot too. That he had all of these decisions to make. If he forgot about the war. If he forgot that he was supposed to marry someone else. But she doubted it. Because tonight he was tense in the bathtub. And he was tense later than night in bed next to her.

“Liam, the western provinces will be okay. Even if it's not... the people are safely relocated. It will take awhile to get it all cleaned up.”

“It's not that simple.”

“On Earth, fighting threats weekly caused a lot of structural damage to the city. Buildings, streets, homes were destroyed. When I first started there were people who didn't want me helping the city because of budgetary reasons. And I'm sure there's still work to be done or not... I don't really know with the Crisis event.”

“This event that happened, you've mentioned it multiple times. What was it exactly?”

“That's a long story. After it was over a lot changed and we- they don't know the extent of it. I just wish Brenham had been destroyed with it... I know that's an awful thing to say and I'm sure there are innocents who live on Brenham and it wouldn't necessarily change our situation...”

“It would. I would have been able to fought against it but if Brenham was gone the arrangement wouldn't have even been made,” he said, “I was trying to fight it when the Council intervened. They said if I were to break an oath, even one that was forty two years old, what was stopping Brenham from doing the same? What was stopping them from attacking all the planets we were trying to protect? Stopping them from attacking us? Luxo and Rifar are still trying to recover there's no way they could make it through Brenham. No country on Nibiru could. They saw the footage of you, they knew you could help protect Earth along with the others. They even thought you might win but they knew that Nibiru and the other planets wouldn't. They said one planet doesn't outweigh the survival of many.”

“They're right. And Earth wouldn't have survived. And I would have lost everyone again. This way everyone gets to live.”

“This way everyone gets to live,” he agreed.

When Kara woke up the next morning Liam was already gone. He had left a note apologizing and it said that he'd be back for dinner. Viv informed Kara that instead of going into the city Dr. Sappal had requested to see her and she'd be meeting her in her own room. So, Kara waited. She messaged her sister saying she'd call as soon as she could. Then Dr. Sappal was knocking on her door.

“I brought some equipment,” she said and then had Kara lie down on her bed. She took a pinprick of blood then she began to explain what she was doing. She lifted Kara's shirt up and placed a cool jell on her stomach. It took her longer to realize it than it should have.

“You think I'm pregnant,” Kara said before Dr. Sappal placed the wand on her stomach revealing to both of them that Kara was not in fact pregnant.

“I could have told you I wasn't pregnant. Besides I've only been here two months, doesn't it take a while for anything to show up on an ultrasound?”

“Usually but the blood test plus the machines was an asurity. And our technology is quite advanced, so the machine would have been able to pick it up before machines on Earth could. It doesn't make sense, I'm well aware, but it can. So, how did you know you weren't pregnant?”

“Why would you assume I was?” Kara asked defensive as she dried off her stomach.

“You have been here two months,” she said.

“And for Esla it was two years.”

“Her husband was away for war most of the time,” Dr. Sappal said, “When he returned after a little over a year it wasn't long. She was much younger than you but she wasn't sharing a bed with her husband every night.” Kara didn't know how to respond. She wanted to tell her to leave. She wanted to tell her it was none of her business. She wanted to tell her that they were in no rush. But she didn't say any of this.

“He's been getting back late,” Kara said, “That's all.”

“But before that-”

“Dr. Sappal, I'm sure you're aware that it can take a while to... to reproduce.”

“His highness is a Westbrook. If he's anything like his brother it does not take a while,” she said, “When you first arrived I tested your fertility, if you'd like treatment it can be provided but it should not be necessary. The kingdom expects an heir. Because of the war they are still unrestful.”

“And a child will placate them?” she cut off the rest of what the doctor was going to say, this was the same argument that Kara had used with Liam and here she was arguing against it.

“They need some joy, something good. New homes for those affected are a relief to many but it's not something the entire kingdom will rejoice in.”

“So, you're saying I should have a child to give the people happiness?”

“And the king needs a male heir. And as soon as possible. His brother and Esla were not able to do so. I'm sure that marrying a king wasn't your next step in life, let a lone having his child, but you are now a queen. There is time of course but the more time that passes the more unrest there could be. A male child should ensure his place on the throne.”

“How can you be sure of that?”

“There is never one hundred percent surety when it comes to the monarchy on this planet. But for the future of this kingdom, should his majesty die and not have a male heir, the next in line is his cousin. There were rumors, years ago, of him having direct communication with- unsavory planets.” Kara was quiet after this. The threat of Brenham seemed to loom closer. If what she was saying was true then her not doing her duty would result in the destruction of Earth.

“If you are concerned of the pain of childbirth we have a virtual reality simulation to prepare you. All women go through this simulation during their schooling. It's to prepare them and to ward them off having children too young. Some schools even insist on their male students to participate. I even brought it, you'll put in these contacts. I heard that someone on your planet has come up with contacts of similar technology.” She held out a small box opening it, showing Kara dark green contacts.

“No! No, I mean no that's not the problem,” Kara said. Then she told her to leave. Kara spent the rest of her day in the Earth greenhouse soaking in pure, yellow sun. The fruits and vegetables were nearly ripe and she was pleased that at least the flowers bloomed. She was nearly asleep inside the treehouse when Liam joined her. She chose not to say anything as he lied down next to her but she would the following night. She would tell him what happened and they would finally do more than sleep together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! For those curious, if Liam was portrayed on the show he'd be played by Sam Claflin.


	11. A Queen's Job

Viv didn't greet Kara to help her prepare for the day. Instead, a younger woman, a much chattier woman whose name was Halisa, greeted her, Viv had personally chosen the woman. She was not originally from Rifar but had moved from an eastern country, Jubreylia, years prior with her family. And it was through her consistent chatting that Kara learned her wedding night with Liam was even more unlike others on Rifar. Halisa's older sister had just gotten married. There was the bathing ritual of course but she continued in detail as she worked on Kara's hair. Usually there was no sponge. Usually there was just a bar of soap. And usually the bride also washed the groom. Then of course after drying did they share a bed, as Halisa put it.

“I'm sure it's something you found strange my queen. I sure did, when I first heard about it from a schoolmate a few years ago. Not that I'll be marrying soon, of course.” And she continued to talk as if what she had said hadn't been out of line. Kara often forgot that she was a powerful woman here. Without her powers she didn't feel that powerful but she was a queen. In many ways she knew was more powerful here than she was on Earth despite not feeling it. Halisa informed Kara that she'd be staying with her the remainder of the week as Viv would not be able to. Kara informed her of her schedule revealing to the young woman that her job was fairly minimal at the moment.

She spent the day speaking with the scientists about getting every greenhouse up and running. She toured each one that could be salvaged, with Earth, there were fourteen in total. She wanted to make sure that the kitchens were in communication with archivists and galaxy professors so they knew what each food item was, and what was safely edible and how it could be substituted into typical Rifarian meals.

She ended her day tired and when she returned to her room she remembered one last job. She didn't like looking at it that way though it was how she had seen it two weeks ago. Then it was something she saw as getting past, something that was necessary to their relationship as husband and wife. Now it felt even more like a job versus it being about her and Liam. He wanted it to be about them, he wanted her to be comfortable and she had a feeling he wasn't comfortable either about any of it. It was why he used a sponge instead of just his hands. Why he didn't make her wash him. Why they slept with a pillow between them for weeks. He was uncomfortable lying with a woman who didn't want to be with him. He didn't want the moment to be forced, not to be after their first kiss, not to be an item on a checklist. But Dr. Sappal hadn't visited him. She doubted his advisors spoke to him about his wife being pregnant. She doubted Esla would have brought it up to him at the coronation dinner. And she hesitated bringing it up to him. What if he were to fire Dr. Sappal? Up until then it seemed like she had her health in mind and Kara was sure she still did but now Kara saw that she was worried about the country too. Liam's brother had tried to distract as much as his people as possible but clearly Dr. Sappal wasn't one to be distracted. If she were to bring it up, he'd tell her not to worry and that even if she were to become pregnant there was no guarantee she'd have a male. There was no need to rush anything, he'd say. But all he had seen of Kara was a scared girl. Their first night on Nibiru she was quiet and stiff and while she had changed since then perhaps that's all he'd ever see. It didn't matter if she was at her full strength in the Earth greenhouse.

“Do you see me as someone you need to protect along with the rest of your kingdom?” the question slipped from her lips. They were in the middle of eating dinner, both stressed from the events of the day.

“What?” he asked.

“Do you see me as someone you have to protect? Someone who needs your help?”

“I'm the king, it's my job to protect everyone.”

“And as my husband?”

“Yes, it's my job as your husband to keep you safe. I know it seems antiquated compared to the rest of our culture. But royalty seems to always be a few steps behind, at least in Rifar. Well, in Jubreylia, the current prince consort helps protect the queen but she's in charge of protecting everyone else.”

“But do you see _me_ as someone who needs protecting?”

“Where is this coming from? Did someone say something? I know Esla is visiting, did she say something again?”

“No, no I haven't even seen her. You keep saying you want me to be comfortable before we... but we don't have the time.”

“I'm trying to get you back to Earth.”

“What?” now it was Kara's turn to be confused.

“There's a rule that if it's been a year and there is no pregnancy it can be dissolved.” That didn't make sense. Esla didn't have her first child until it was two years after they were married. And Kara knew of couples where it took years to get pregnant.

“The law is fairly unknown. It's old, really old. It's been all but forgotten. But it's in a few law books. It was hardly used when it was created. It was created because the king and queen at the time were unable to conceive. Our doctors did everything they could to help them but after a decade there was still no heir to the throne. She disappeared and six months passed and her body was found. It was and still is the belief that he killed her... His following three wives were able to conceive but nearly every time the infants were stillborn or barely lived past the age of five. The law was created to protect future queens. The king was removed from his thrown after one of his generals was able to prove he killed one of his wives. The law was used once maybe twice after this. It wasn't made known to the public. When the scout came back I spent hours in the library trying to find something so I didn't have to take you.”

“And all you found was this centuries old law?” Kara asked.

“Yes. That's why I've waited.”

“Why didn't you say anything? You could have said something on the ship! I could have told my sister that I would only be gone for a couple of years!”

“And if anyone overheard? I trust Carson but even he doesn't know about this. The ship is filled with cameras and microphones. And you were constantly being watched on Argo. There are scouts from Nibiru currently in National City. They are watching Lex Luthor but they are also watching Alex and Eliza. If they overheard Alex saying something about you returning, for good, I'd be called in by parliament.”

“They'd question your commitment as king but why not tell me that first night or two weeks ago? Or anytime in between?”

“I was going to tell you a couple of weeks ago then you nearly blew my head off. And before that- I didn't want to give you false hope. I looked into the law more, I've spent time everyday going through every book to find a mention of it, to see if it's been repealed. It hasn't but it took time.”

“So you were protecting me?”

“Yeah, I was. If anyone finds out-”

“Dr. Sappal is already curious,” Kara interjected, “She came to see me yesterday. She doesn't understand why I'm not pregnant yet. She offered treatment though she stated it shouldn't be needed. She said there was unrest in the kingdom, she used the same arguments I have and then she said if you were to die without an heir your kingdom would go to your cousin. Who was more in line with your brother but even more so with the leaders of Brenham.”

“She had no right to-”

“I know. I should have stopped her but she already way ahead before I realized what was going on.”

“No, I mean she had no right to speak to you in that manner. You are not some patient in an office. You are the queen. You are her superior. She had no right to bombard you. After a year the question can be brought up. But it should be indirect. It shouldn't be an obvious appointment. You've only been here two months. Two months. She overstepped. She'll be gone tomorrow.” He was furious.

“Liam, no, she wanted what was best for the kingdom.”

“She doesn't know what's best for the kingdom! I do! I am the king!”

“You want my happiness,” Kara said remaining calm as the man in front of her looked like he wanted to strangle someone slowly realizing something, “And I would love to return to Earth. To return to my sister and to being Supergirl. I want that more than anything right now but that's all it can ever be-a want, a hope.” Her voice was starting to crack. She wanted to hope. She wanted to go back to Earth. She wanted this to be over. But it couldn't be over. She couldn't just return to Earth. She had to think about what would happen here if she just left, if they used this law.

“What do you think would happen in ten months if we could separate? Do you think your people would just blindly accept it? Do you think they would not question a law they haven't heard of? And what would happen to marriages in your country when a couple couldn't conceive in a year? The women would be blamed, not the men because that is how it would be seen. That there was something wrong with _me_ , that's why I was sent back to Earth. Your actions- our actions- will have repercussions. You want what is best for your kingdom and so do I. I am the queen now, I have met your people and I am trying my best to make their lives better. And if I leave the way you are suggesting I won't be helping them. This isn't what's best for the kingdom.”

“And getting pregnant in our first year of marriage is what's best for you? Staying here isn't what's best for Earth.”

“Earth is fine! There are other superheroes and there's Alex and Brenham is no longer a threat.”

“Don't you want to return to Earth?”

“Of course I do! Of course I want to say yes but you aren't listening. Leaving for Earth won't help you or the people. It'll make everything so much more difficult, it'll hurt so many people. So, I'm saying no.”

“Okay,” he said but Kara couldn't pick up what his tone meant, “But you're going to have a new doctor. Don't argue with me on this.” Kara only nodded to this tired of arguing.

The couple laid in bed that evening in silence. Liam had a book in front of him though Kara was unsure if he was actually reading it. Kara played the conversation in her mind then the one she had with the doctor and she thought about the families she had seen in the western provinces, ones who had lost their loved ones, their homes, everything. One of the mothers had asked Kara if she was expecting and she replied that she couldn't say anything. This of course caused her to think that she was and she broke out in a huge grin wishing her good health and happiness. The royal family was seen as the people's family in a way she had learned. She thought of her job as queen. She slipped out of the bed and into their closet. She removed the nightgown she wore and changed into the robe she wore on their official wedding night. Liam didn't look up when she re-entered their room until she was on the bed. He looked up from his book.

“Kara what are you-” but she broke him off pressing her lips to his climbing into his lap.

“Just this once,” she mumbled against his lips, “We need to, just this once.”


	12. No More Rushing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I decided to post again for the week since I was able to get several chapters written recently. I hope you're all doing well and staying safe at home.

Liam watched Kara as she spoke with her sister in the late morning of the next day. There was no mention of returning to Earth. Kara asked about Lex and learned that Alex had left the DEO about three weeks after Kara did but she wasn't sure how to tell her since she entrusted Alex with helping keep Earth safe. She was working with J'onn now but didn't give Kara many details. Kara didn't mention the people from Rifar watching her or Eliza or Lex. She didn't mention a lot of things. The conversation was short and ended with Alex telling her to call more than once every two weeks, telling her to stop distancing herself because it wouldn't make it any easier and Kara thought how her sister would react if she told her she could be home in less than two years. But she said nothing and promised her sister she'd call as soon as she could.

The pair didn't see each other till later in the evening. Liam spent most of his day trying to repair the country's relationship with Luxo. A peace agreement had been signed but he insisted there was more to be done, more to put the war in the past. Kara spent the rest of her day working on planning a fundraiser. The funds raised would help build the pod houses while the funds that Liam had budgeted would go towards repairing the western border provinces. She tried to focus everything on the fundraiser but she heard the whispers of the palace staff. Dr. Sappal had been escorted out of the castle in the early hours of the morning. She had been seen visiting the queen only two days prior. There were theories as to what happened. That she had done something out of line during the appointment, endangered the queen, possibly endangered a baby, or that simply the queen wanted a new doctor. And a new one was brought in. She wasn't much older than Liam. She had spent most of her time traveling Rifar moving from one doctor's office to the next, working at a hospital here and there. Kara questioned whether she'd even stay long as she didn't seem to put down roots. Liam told her that she'd stay because that's what as asked of her by the king.

“More doctors,” Kara said chewing on a piece of meat that was similar to steak.

“You'll only have to meet with her then you won't have to see her unless you need to.”

“You mean like when I'm pregnant.”

“Or when you're sick and as for being pregnant, we don't know when that will be. Most likely not for a while.”

“I heard there was this virtual reality simulator that readies women for childbirth.”

“I'm well aware of it. It's used in most secondary schools and women's clinics, medical offices and such. Yes it's used to prepare pregnant women but it was originally created to help prevent teen pregnancies. The age of adulthood here is nineteen which is the earliest age couples can wed except for Esla of course, she married Thom at seventeen which is the age of eligibility for people in her country. When the simulation was implemented teen pregnancy went down nearly seventy percent in some areas. I'm sure you'll be- pressured to partake in the simulation. Water births are common tradition in Rifar. Pain medication can be administered if requested though it's rare. A couple of decades ago a doctor published a false study claiming the medication was harmful to the infants. By the time he was discredited the damage had already been done. During the birth the spouse normally sits behind in the tub should that be the method used. I went through the simulation years ago as did my brother, supposedly anyway. My mother thought it would be beneficial for my brother to go through it as his wife was pregnant so soon after the birth of her first child. She wanted him to feel what he was putting her through and then when I was near the end of my schooling my brother wanted me to experience it. And the ones for students are only thirty minutes long, the ones done at women's clinics can take all day since they want to prepare you. It's done early on in the pregnancy and there's no harm, permanent harm anyway, to either the mother or the baby. But you shouldn't have to go through that experience voluntarily.”

“So, you'd sit behind me in the tub like we do at night?” Kara asked soaking in everything he had said.

“Yes. Should you decide on a water birth and if you want me there. But that is a long time away. We can focus on that more if you become pregnant.”

“When I'm pregnant,” Kara corrected him.

“We don't have to rush it, there's no rush. And it shouldn't be for the people or for the throne. I don't care what anyone says or expects. We should be ready.” But Kara felt like she'd never be ready. She was getting used to being a queen more so than being a wife. She wasn't sure if she could get used to being a mother. She'd have nine months or around that from when she found out she was pregnant to prepare herself. And it might be nine months from now. It'd only been a day, she reminded herself. She wouldn't know for a few weeks. _Would it be like this every time they had sex? Her wondering if she was pregnant? And what would happen at the end of a year here and she wasn't pregnant? Would Liam bring up the possibility of her returning to Earth? It was hard enough saying no when every single cell in her body screamed yes. But what about ten months from now? Could she say no then?_ These were thoughts that ran through her head that night in the tub. She didn't forget like usual. She didn't let the thoughts slip away. And they stayed in her head through the night causing her to barely sleep.

She spent the next day barely registering Liam's voice or anyone else's for that matter. Alex called and spoke with her but the conversation just felt like a lot of noise, there were mentions of Lena of William and of Alura. Kara only really listened to the bit about her mother. She had given Alex a message to pass on. She hoped she was doing well and that she was proud of her. Kara heard the sadness in her sister's voice.

“Alex, I'm happy here. Really, I am,” Kara said, “I'm happy with Liam. I'm doing some good here too. Helping the people here. I don't fly around wearing a cape.” Alex asked her to tell her how she was helping the people of Rifar and Kara simply replied she'd tell her another time. She was tired from lack of sleep. Then Alex asked if was because Liam had her up all night. Kara felt her face turn bright red and she sputtered out several no's. Alex then proceeded to say if she wanted to talk about it they could.

“When he stops wanting to wait, you can talk to me,” she told her, “You mentioned on Argo about having children.”

“We're very far from that. And it's not like I'd be having kids next week or next month. It'd be months from now.” And part of her wanted to say that she could be home within less than two years for her. That she could return to Earth as Kara Danvers, as Supergirl. She could also tell her that she and Liam finally did more than sleep together. But she said none of this. She told Alex she'd call her back after she rested promising to tell her how she was helping people here.

After the phone call Kara looked at the time. It would still be several hours until Liam returned. She went to lie down and then she heard her name. Liam was waking her up.

“I thought you'd like something to eat,” he said as she sat up, “I'm not surprised. You hardly slept last night.” He sat next to her placing a tray table across her lap.

“How do you know that?”

“Because every time I woke up you were still awake. You were thinking about the conversation we had last night, weren't you?”

“It is something that is expected of the royal couple isn't it?”

“Yes, but I don't want to rush anything. I don't want to rush us. I'm plenty busy with everything else. Do we really want to add a child to it? I know I don't. I'm not ready. Are you?”

“Of course I'm not ready,” Kara said, “But I wasn't ready for marriage or to become a queen. Were you ready to become king of Rifar? Ready for marriage?”

“No, but it's what my country asked of me,” he said.

“And Rifar is my country now. Is this not what is asked of us? Asked of a queen?” He didn't say anything to this because they both knew the answer. They both knew it was expected of them. No one would question him though not like they had done with Kara. There would be comments from his friends, jokes over drinks, but no one would ask why he hadn't 'knocked her up yet'. It was something he'd heard his brother say a long time ago to his general. “Have you knocked her up yet? Maybe it'll be a boy, Esla doesn't seem to have any of those- not living ones anyway.” Esla had just had her first girl but before that she was pregnant with a boy but he was stillborn. Perhaps this was why Dr. Sappla was so focused on an heir, because of what had happened with Esla. He hardly knew the doctor but maybe she thought he'd be like his brother and expect a son. Maybe she wanted to prevent a miscarriage as much as she could. Or maybe she had heard people talking. Kara had already been approached by Esla. What if the next time she was in the city someone asked her? How long would it be until those talk show hosts started asking questions, until someone approached her with a microphone? He knew that a male heir was important, not just expected, but necessary for the continuance of peace. But just this once he didn't want it to be about his kingdom, about his people.

“The other night wasn't for us,” he said, “And the next time it should be. You should eat before your food gets cold.” Then he moved off the bed and left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of adding images into later chapters to help with description. What do y'all think?


	13. Protection

Kara spent more time talking with her sister over the next few days. Alex was thrilled to hear more from her sister. She had been visiting with Eliza who, when Alex handed the phone over to her, wanted to know every single detail about her life on Rifar. She wanted to know how she was adjusting, if she was eating well, and if this man was treating her well. Kara smiled hearing her voice and answered all of her questions. After Kara called a third time Alex asked her what was going on.

“I've heard from you more this week then I have in the past in the past five months,” Alex said, “What's going on with you and Liam?”

“What? Nothing, nothing is going on.”

“Kara, I know you're lying,” Alex said and Kara sat on the bed in the treehouse. She looked out the window and for a moment when she closed her eyes felt like she was on Earth. She felt like she was sitting right next to Alex on her couch.

“We finally slept together,” she said.

“Oh,” Alex said and it's like Kara knew she had moved to sit down. Maybe at a table or a counter or maybe on her own couch in her apartment.

“So, was he tired of waiting then?”

“No, I- I was the one who...” Kara said trailing off, “It wasn't bad but... I don't...”

“It wasn't the right time,” Alex said.

“That's basically what he said,” Kara said and she knew it bugged her sister that she couldn't villainize Liam. And Kara suspected had he lived on Earth, had he been a boyfriend first before a husband the two might have gotten along.

“Why didn't you wait? Why rush into it?” Alex asked.

“Because there are expectations of being queen. It doesn't matter how advanced a society is, some things don't change. The royal line has to continue.”

“But from what you've said Liam doesn't seem worried about it,” Alex responded, “Why are you?”

“My doctor, well she's not my doctor anymore, the other day she...” Kara started to say.

“She questioned why I wasn't pregnant,” Kara said then told her in detail about the 'appointment'. She talked about how angry Liam got when she told him about what had happened. But that night was when they slept together. That it was short and there was no emotion behind it.

“You said the doctor said something about his cousin,” Alex said, “Do you think a child will secure his place? That no one will go after him? Do you think someone is going after him now?”

“I don't know!” Kara exclaimed. She didn't know the answers for sure. She hated not knowing. She hated thinking that regardless of coming here Earth could still be in danger.

“Do you think having a child with Liam will make it easier to fit in?” Alex asked tentatively. She remembered Kara doing her best to blend in on Earth when they were younger. She cried at night, spoke in her sleep in a language she didn't understand and then in the morning it was like nothing had happened. Eliza suggested Kara join after school activities but to be careful not to stand out. Did she think that if she didn't have a child she'd be seen as different? She had mentioned the previous queen had six children. Maybe she was worried about the comparison. She had been compared to Superman hundreds of times during the start of her becoming Supergirl. She thought of the questions that must have been running through her sister's head. _Will they wonder why I'm not pregnant yet? Will they question me as their ruler? Will I ever love Liam? Can I be a mother? Can I really live on another planet again?_ Not once had Kara brought up wanting to be a mother or wanting to get married. She had said years ago that her mother hadn't sent her to Earth to be one, but to protect Kal-El, that her path was different: to protect Earth. And now she was following that path, sacrificing her happiness for it.

“You said you were happy there. Will this make you happy?” Alex asked.

“This isn't about being happy,” Kara said, “This is about making sure Earth remains safe. That you remain safe.”

“You deserve happiness. If anyone deserves it, it's you. You've done so much good and you're still doing something good. You deserve to find happiness with this sacrifice you've made.”

“I still have a job to do. And maybe once we know that Brenham is no longer a threat-” but Alex cut her off.

“Stop thinking about protecting everyone for once! Just being there should be enough. You- you aren't Supergirl anymore,” Alex said knowing how much that last sentence and the next one would hurt, “Stop pretending to be.” She hated saying it, she hated it because despite the fact that she couldn't see her sister she knew tears were spilling down her cheeks. She knew how much it hurt her sister. She knew saying it would push her sister away which was the last thing she wanted to do. But it was time they face reality. Kara wasn't coming back. She was now a queen on a planet light-years away. She knew the next time she saw her sister there'd be something different about her because something had changed between them already.

“You're right,” Kara said not bothering to wipe her tears away, “My place is here now, not Earth.” She wanted to tell her sister everything. She wanted to tell her that Liam had found a way for her to return home. She wanted to tell her that she could be Supergirl again. She wanted to tell her that all of this would eventually be a distant memory. She wanted to tell her that the reason Liam had wanted to wait was to help her return to her normal. But her duty wasn't just to Earth anymore but to the people of Rifar. And her sister basically just told her that her duty wasn't to Earth at all. That she had done all she could to protect them, that it was time to step back, to accept her new place.

“Kara, I didn't mean it like that,” Alex said, “You can't protect everyone. As much as you want to, you can't and you shouldn't destroy yourself trying to. You shouldn't make yourself miserable.” But she was miserable on Nibiru. She didn't want to face it. She had tried so hard to be happy. To adjust. And she thought she was slowly becoming used to living here then Liam told her she could go home. He told her that all this could be in the past. She bit her tongue to avoid blurting it out to Alex. Instead she sputtered out a goodbye then hung up on her. She turned her phone off and walked into the bathroom. It was similar to the one in their suite. There was a large tub big enough for the two of them. Kara stripped off her clothing and stepped into the bubbling, hot water.

Liam entered the treehouse having learned that Kara was not in their suite. He heard the tub running and found her asleep. He grabbed a towel and lifted her from the tub cradling her. Her wet hair soaked his shirt. He wrapped the towel more securely around her and placed her on their bed. He changed into his night clothes and then grabbed one of her nightgowns. He hesitated changing her into it. They had hardly talked the last few days and he knew he was partly to blame. Her questions and concerns were valid. A child was expected but he wanted to protect her which only seemed to make her angry. He had mentioned the problems to Carson and he had said that Kara was no 'damsel in distress as Terra-humans say' so he shouldn't treat her as such.

He thought about the other night when she had changed into the robe and kissed him. He had kissed her back and he had sex with her. He didn't say no but he was quick about it. And he hadn't wanted to be. He didn't want it to be just sex. An item on an ever growing checklist to be ticked off. A child was on the list as much as he didn't want it to be. He wanted a family but not for the reasons Kara was suggesting. She saw it as a kind of protection. And she wasn't just protecting Earth but protecting him. Wasn't it his job to protect her? To protect his wife? But she didn't need protecting. He had seen the videos and had seen her training. Physically she could take out anyone if necessary. But emotionally? He had been around when Esla's first child had been stillborn and a couple of times throughout her pregnancies. He had never seen her happy. And surely if she had had a living son it'd be different. But he had seen Kara with a smile on her face, occasionally, like when she talked about what she was doing to help people. But whenever she brought up her role as queen there was a seriousness to it, a nervousness too. He wanted to give her more time to adjust to Rifar. It was hard enough moving to a new planet but to marry someone then be queen. She had adjusted, he had watched her and she was doing well but he didn't want to overwhelm her or force her into something when she wasn't ready. He wasn't ready.

Becoming king had been an adjustment for him too. It wasn't something he was prepared for at all. Then a few months in to find out instead of marrying Yarina from Luxo he was to marry Kara, someone whom he had never met or even heard of, was a lot to process. He had met Yarina in person, though he knew her through correspondence from before the war and she knew what was expected of her. He was prepared to get to know Yarina now that they were older. She had already been married, her husband having died a previous war and had one daughter. The adjustment was nothing compared to what Kara was going through now.

He had learned as much as he could about Kara when it was certain they were to be married. And he saw that he was removing a protector, it was like moving an already placed queen from her country. And he hated it and then when she told him no about returning that had changed a lot too. He had started the process to repeal the law in case some future king or nobleman were to stumble upon it.

He began to speak with the dukes he knew who were fathers slowly beginning to attempt to learn what it was like. He wasn't ready, he had told her this, but he wanted to be as ready as possible for when she did end up pregnant. He tried to picture her with a full belly then holding an infant, becoming a mother but he couldn't. Maybe it was because he didn't know her well enough. Or maybe it was because he didn't want to. In the very beginning he had tried to picture all of it but then he had seen her that first night at dinner and felt her tenseness in the bathtub. Now she wasn't so tense and the other night he had noticed she had tried to be aroused. When he had told her he'd wanted to wait for her to be more comfortable he had meant it not just for her but for him as well.

He did care for her, more than he thought he would, but he wasn't sure how much of it was out of guilt for taking her from Earth. Their nights watching movies and discussing their days over dinner were normal to him now. And in the bath at night wasn't as awkward as it could be. They were comfortable around each other but he wanted more than that when he slept with the woman that was his wife. In the end he decided not to change Kara but placed the blanket on top of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading. I'll probably be updating twice a week now with all the writing I'm able to get done.


	14. Happy

Kara woke up during the night as usual. She must have fallen asleep in the bathtub and Liam had placed her on the bed. She was still covered in the towel, well somewhat. It had slipped down towards her waist. She pulled it up and looked for her nightgown. Liam was still asleep on the bed and she was surprised he was there at all. They had barely exchanged two words since the other night. He had the royal suite he could sleep in. She found her nightgown and threw it on. He had said he wasn't ready but it wasn't like she was either. But she knew what happened when people started questioning you. He said that he wouldn't be overthrown but she remembered Ben Lockwood and his agents of liberty. He, along with Lex, had hurt so many people because they disliked aliens. He saw them as enemies. Most of what was said on the gossip shows was criticisms of her as their queen. They didn't see her as a threat or someone who had stolen something that wasn't hers, not like Ben had. She hadn't caused damage but was actively working on helping people. But what if they grew to see her as such? Lex was hellbent on killing her cousin and in the other universes had succeeded.

All it took was one powerful person to paint her as a villain. Words had power which she had failed to explain to Liam. He had only seen the power of war. She had watched the speeches of his brother, he was charismatic and convincing. His people believed him when he said Luxo had done wrong and needed to pay for it. Maybe Liam hadn't listened but only done what he was told at the time. There was so much she didn't know about Liam and he knew a lot about her. He knew that her parents had sent her to Earth because Krypton was dying to protect her baby cousin. And that she was late due to being stuck in the Phantom Zone. She'd adapted to Earth and eventually used her powers to help people become Supergirl. She didn't know how much he knew about her personal life on Earth but he knew everything there was to know about her as Supergirl. Then he had seen her as a scared girl when she left with him, and perhaps that was all he had seen her as since.

She knew he was a younger brother to a king who was ruthless in his pursuit to become a more powerful kingdom. And he had aided him, leading troops into battle. But then his brother died, killed in battle and Liam was crowned king rushing to repair their relationship with Luxo. Then two months later he was informed that instead of marrying Yarina he was to wed Kara Zor-El of Krypton. And had he not seen the footage of her in a red cape saving the citizens of National City he would have accepted the arrangement. During the walks in the gardens they had learned what it had been like growing up on their respective planets. But beyond that they knew little of each other's personal lives. She realized he was careful in learning about her, like he didn't want to get to know her. And now she knew why, because he wanted to return her home but she had said no. And she was angry at him. Because she had wanted to say yes. She hadn't wanted to marry him let alone have children with him. But having a child would prevent the subject from being brought up again. She was afraid that if he brought it up again she'd say yes. She'd return to Earth and she would try to put this all behind her. But there'd always be a part of her wondering what had happened to the people here. _How many relationships were ruined because of what they had done? How many people would be hurt?_ Just like she had wondered growing up what her life would be like on Krypton. _Would she have a boyfriend? An internship with her mom after school? What would she study at university?_ Those thoughts were quieted when she became Supergirl. But she had a feeling she'd always think about the people of Rifar. She wondered about the people's safety on Earth but she knew they were safe because she knew there were protectors. If she left would she remain in contact with Liam? Cat hardly remained in contact with her ex-husbands, only when necessary.

She felt the bed shift beneath her and Liam had his arm around her. He mumbled for her to go back to sleep gently pulling her towards him or at least trying too. She had her full strength and didn't recognize that he was trying to pull her against him at first. She thought about resisting because she was still angry at him. Angry that he told her she could go home. Because it was a tease. How could he have not seen the harm it would do should she actually leave?

But she had no idea what he was thinking. She had no idea who he really was but a newly crowned king. She knew he wanted to do good, to be good. One of the first things he had said to her on the ship towards Nibiru was he hadn't wanted to do this. He wanted her to know that if it had been a choice he would have left her alone. She let herself fall into him as she lied back down. She rested her head on his chest. Was it enough to know he was a good person? They were husband and wife but they didn't really feel like friends. They kept having periods of awkwardness between them, arguments that started then seemed to be forgotten, and then moments like this. Which ones were real? Alex had told her to try to be happy. But could she be happy with Liam? Could they be happy together when it seemed like half the time they talked it became an argument?

Kara woke up to a knock on the door. Liam shifted beneath her and went to get up. She sat up as he spoke to the person that had woken them up. They left and he turned around with their outfits for the day. He placed them on the dresser and sat back down on the bed.

“Maybe when you see your new doctor today you could see if she can give you something to help you sleep,” he said wrapping his arms around her. There was concern in his voice. She kept telling herself she just needed to adjust. And she almost told him that she just needed more time. On Earth it took about a year until she slept through the night, until the nightmares stopped but maybe if she had been able to take something it would have been different. She nodded and moved out of his arms. She changed into her outfit and grabbed several strawberries that were finally ripe from the greenhouse. Liam knelt down next to her and grabbed a few. The grass was damp due to the sprinklers and the bottom of Kara's skirt became wet. Liam almost lifted her up, almost mentioned that she couldn't go out in this weather with wet clothing. It didn't matter that she wore several layers due to it still being winter. But he said nothing and she eventually stood up.

He watched her as they exited the greenhouse. There was something different about her.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked grabbing her arm pulling her close before they went their separate ways.

“Of course,” she responded aware that their guards were watching them embrace, “If it's about the other night we can just forget about it.” But they both knew they wouldn't forget it. The issue would be brought up again, maybe not tonight or the next but it'd be brought up and they'd fight. But Kara didn't really care about the outcome anymore.

“Okay,” he said and she pulled away.

The guards opened the doors to the doctor's office and Kara entered. The woman at the desk looked up upon hearing the doors closing. She smiled then stood and bowed her head.

“You must be Kara,” she said, “I'm Dr. Willdridge.” Kara nodded. She looked around the office and noticed she had rearranged it. The desk was facing the door and there was a filing cabinet in the corner.

“I prefer to have physical backups of my patient files,” she said when she noticed Kara looking at it, “It's antiquated but technology can fail. Why don't you head into the exam room and change into this? I'll be there in just a moment.” She handed Kara a patient gown. Kara sat on the exam table wondering why she had to change into the gown. Her new doctor eventually entered the room.

“I know Dr. Sappal already examined you and ran all these tests but I want to redo them. His highness explained to me what happened with her. There will be no such pressure from me, if you want to discuss it I won't be the one to bring it up, you will,” she said, “You were born under a red sun but grew up under a yellow sun, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Kara said.

“And when you traveled to Argo, you passed out,” she said looking through a file.

“I was given a sedative,” Kara said, “It wasn't because of the red sun. My mother and sister are just protective.”

“But it's taken you some time to get used to two suns here,” she said though it came out like a question.

“Yes but I've adjusted.”

“How often do you spend time in the Earth greenhouse?” Kara shrugged. She didn't spend as much time as she liked there and even then most of the time it was dark. She still felt the yellow sun, still soaked it in and it helped her throughout the week. When she used her heat vision she didn't become as tired as she had before. She couldn't use it for as long as she could on Earth but if something were to happen she could defend herself without passing out.

“Compared to outside with Nibiru's two suns?” she asked.

“I've spent more time in the Earth greenhouse,” somehow this made Kara feel ashamed. She had spent more time feeling like she was on Earth than outside in her new home.

“So, have you really adjusted to our two suns?” she asked, “I want you to limit your time there to one night a week.”

“But-”

“Kara, Nibiru is your home now. If you don't let your body adjust something worse than collapsing could happen. Early on in my career I had a patient who was from Krypton. He stayed on Nibiru for three years and due to their work spent most of their time outside. It didn't take them more than a few weeks to adjust. But when he became ill, he spent about a week at the facility I was working at. Then he had to readjust to our suns all over again, this is what you're doing every time you spend more time in your greenhouse than outside. He was lucky because at the time we were revolving around our yellow sun but now we're revolving around our red one.” Kara had learned about the unusual rotation around the suns when she'd first collapsed weeks ago. She'd told Alex about it, explaining this was why their time difference existed. When Alex had asked if they'd be rotating around the yellow sun soon Kara had told her it'd be another fifty years.

Kara nodded then she continued on with the exam and was surprised when she was able to draw some blood. At the end of the exam she removed her gloves and told Kara there was one more thing she wanted to talk to her about.

“You've lived in Rifar for three months now. Are you happy here? Comfortable?” she asked. The question surprised Kara because during her time here she hadn't been asked that. Liam had told her that he wanted her to be happy here. She didn't know how to respond. She knew the answer. She wasn't happy here. She wasn't comfortable here. She was somewhat comfortable with Liam but not like she wanted to be.

“Kara?”

“I- I'm still adjusting,” she finally said. It had taken her years to enjoy living on Earth. The difference this time was that she chose to come here. And that everyone on Earth was still alive. But she knew if she'd been sent to Earth and been able to communicate with those on Krypton she'd have never been happy until she'd been able to return.

“We have doctors here who have studied mental health,” she began to say.

“I don't need to see a therapist,” Kara snapped.

“Okay,” she said planning to broach the topic another time.

“How did your appointment with Dr. Willdridge go?” Liam asked that night after dinner.

“She said I shouldn't spend so much time in the greenhouse,” Kara said, “ Said it's not healthy. My body needs to adjust to the two suns properly.” Liam didn't say anything to this.

“I just wish-” Kara said not really sure how to continue.

“I know. I wish it too.” Then there was a knock on the door. Liam answered it and Kara stood up.

“You must be Mr. Kara Danvers,” Mxyzptlk said, “Ah there you are Kara. Radiant as ever.”

“Who the hell are you? How the hell did you get here?” Liam asked then prepared to call for the guards.

“Wait,” Kara said and dragged the man in knowing the trouble he could cause.


	15. Other Options

“It was not easy to find you. You weren't at your apartment or the DEO. Or your fortress. It wasn't until I spoke with Alex did I find out where you went.”

“Alex told you where I was?” Kara asked.

“Not exactly,” he said, “That doesn't matter. I'm here to apologize for my last visit and make up for my actions. I want to offer my services. I couldn't help but overhear you wish for something.” Liam was glaring at the man.

“Your little boyfriend- husband, shame you finally got hitched by the way, doesn't seem to like me,” he said, “I don't really want to waste time explaining who I am so I'll give you a short version. I'm Mr. Mxyzptlk and am a fifth dimensional being. A few years ago, I made some unfortunate choices and I'm here to me amends- court ordered amends. Now, Kara Danvers what is it you wish? It must be not to be married to this alien. I can give you a do-over, a chance to say no.” Kara looked at Liam.

“It's not that simple,” Liam said.

“You know, we don't really need a third party here,” Mxy said about to snap his fingers.

“No, he needs to stay,” Kara said, “He's right. It's not simple. Have you heard of a planet called Brenham?”

“Bren- um, Bren- ham, Bren-hum... ah the planet with what humans would call 'a Star Wars legacy'? Yes, yes I have. What do they have to do with this situation?”

“They're the reason I left Earth,” Kara said and quickly explained why she was married to Liam.

“I can't wipe them out of existence. Even I don't have that power. But clearly you want to end this union with minimal bloodshed. Or rather prevent it. It makes sense why you're with him now, not feelings of love here. Okay, how far do we want to go back?” He sat down the couch in between Kara and Liam. He gave her a cheeky smile and she narrowed her eyes.

“Kara, are you sure-”

“Now, now pretty boy. I'll get out of your hair once this is done with,” he said and got up and moved. Liam moved closer to Kara protectively grabbing her hand ready to grab her and move as quick as possible if needed. He didn't trust this being.

“Where do we start?”

“Uhh, how about on Argo? With my mother and Alex?” Kara pondered and he began rewinding video footage of her life on the screen in front of them.

“Kara we'll find a way to protect Earth and Argo. We've defeated every threat before. We can-” Kara was sitting up in the infirmary on Argo. Her sister was sitting in front of her. She reached out and grabbed her hand. Mxy was standing on the other side of the bed. Liam wasn't there.

“Okay! Okay, I'll talk to him. Find a way out of this,” she said and saw her sister visibly relax. He sped up time and she saw Liam pass in front of her, then her mother, then the ship leaving. “This is all boring nonsense,” Mxy said.

“We made a deal,” Kara said looking at her sister, “I still have to go with him but not for a year. The arrangement was made and it can't be honored in any other way. He's going back to set up something that will help me on Nibiru, speak to doctors. I have time to say goodbye now.”

“No! No, Kara, no you can't leave.”

“I got us more time,” Kara said as she watched Alex begin to cry.

Fast forward a year and Alex is arguing with Kara.

“He's picking me up on Argo in two days, Alex,” Kara said, “This debate is over.”

“Debate? You shoot down every idea I have. Look, I've spoken with the others. They don't want you to leave.”

“I know that, but this is a way to protect them and you so Earth remains safe.”

“They agree with me. They think we can take them on. Even Lena's on board.”

“I'm marrying Liam,” she said.

“Well, that won't work,” Mxy said.

“What about when I first arrived on Earth?” Liam asked, “Just go back a little further.” Mxy huffed but did as the king suggested.

“No! Kara you aren't going with this-” Alex said turning her sister back towards her.

“Alex, this isn't up for discussion,” Kara said with such sharpness it caused Alex to step back as if she'd been slapped. Then her eyes narrowed.

“No, you're my sister. You don't just get to up an leave without there being a discussion. You don't get to just marry a guy- a stranger no matter how noble it is. If Brenham comes for us we can fight them, we will fight and we will win.”

“The probability of winning against the army of Brenham is .0001%,” Brainy said finally speaking up.

“We've beaten worse odds,” Alex said. Kara let out a breath. They had beaten some rough odds. She looked at Liam.

“Your people will expect retaliation if I say no,” she said.

“I can try to convince them otherwise,” he said, “But I can't offer protection from Brenham. And I can't promise that they won't learn of this planet or its' protectors.”

“I know,” she said.

“Okay, then,” he said and bowed, “It's been a pleasure Kara Zor-El.” Then they sped forward in time and she was in a small home just outside National City. Liam had managed to convince his people otherwise, but there was no indication as to how. An older William Dey was sitting at a table with her and two girls under the age of ten. She heard a ship enter the atmosphere and when she walked outside her heart dropped.

She flew to get Eliza and Alex and Kelly then stopped in front of William.

“Kara, what's going on?” Eliza asked still in her robe.

“It's Brenham,” Alex breathed out, Kelly was busy hushing a fussy toddler.

“William, take the girls and go to Argo. Alex, Eliza you have to go too. We have a portal in our cellar.”

“Kara, don't be-”

“Don't argue with me like last time,” she said, “Just go, please.” She kissed the girls then kissed William.

“Mommy, we can fight with you,” the older girl, maybe six, said. She had her color eyes which began to glow indicating she also had her heat vision along with her other powers.

“No, Astra,” she said tears spilling down her cheeks, “Go with daddy and aunt Alex and aunt Kelly. You're going to visit your grandma Alura for a while.”

“Kara,” William said grabbing onto her.

“You'll be safe there, please. I won't lose you and- and they can't lose both their parents,” she cried. He kissed her and then let go. She wiped away the tears as she said goodbye to her children. She heard him say that mommy was going to be following soon as they glanced back with worried faces. Then they were gone and she flew to where the ship was landing.

Mxy sped up the time and she felt a pain in her side and when she pulled her hand away saw blood. She looked around to see Nia, Barry, Kate, J'onn and everyone else trying to fight.

“We've beaten worse odds,” her sister's voice rang in her head. She felt relieved that her sister was safe, that her family was safe then she spotted Alex. She was on the ground and Kara fell to her knees listening for a heartbeat.

“Alex!” she cried, “Alex!” She shook her. No. No. No, she couldn't be... no. She wasn't supposed to be here. Then she heard her friends struggling and she tried to fight the soldiers from taking them but then she was being taken. She tore from them once then twice but they kept grabbing her, moving her. She was losing sight of her sister's body.

“Take her out! Take her out now.” Kara heard Liam's voice and she was back in their living room hyperventilating.

“Kara, she's alive. It's okay. It's over. She's alive,” she said grabbing a hold of her. He glared at Mxy about to say it was over, to tell him to go home.

“No, wait,” she said catching her breath, tears in her eyes.

“There's still one more time I could have said no,” she said, “But you have to go back, far back.”

She saw the images of seeing her mother again, of becoming Supergirl, of arriving on Earth, of Krypton's death then she stopped him.

“We have the resources to fight Brenham,” Kara's father said. A twelve year old Kara was hiding behind a pillar listening. Kara was in her younger self which was odd. She turned to see out a window which was partially covered by a shade. She could see Krypton and all she wanted to do was go look out the window, go out into the city, spend time in her home again but she didn't. That wasn't what she was here to do. She turned back towards her parents and the earl.

“You don't have the resources to fight this.” Then Kara watched the videos of Brenham's destruction. She remembered seeing this for the first time years ago. She remembered the fear she had felt.

“We can protect you from them. All we're asking is an alliance. You're one of the highest ranking families on this planet,” the man said.

“We've heard of the alliances that Nibiru makes,” Alura said, “We aren't interested. Like my husband said, we can protect Krypton.”

“No, you can't,” he argued, “Krypton will fall. And everyone will die because you chose not to protect it!” This was where Kara revealed herself.

“Is someone going to hurt Krypton?” Kara asked stepping out from behind the pillar. She was beside her mother in moments.

“No, sweetheart,” Alura said, “You shouldn't be here. Go back to your room. Go on. I'll come speak to you later.” Her mother placed her hand on her back turning her away from the man but Kara wouldn't move.

“Kara! Go now, don't make me say it a third time,” Alura said her voice sharp. She hadn't often been chastised by her mother and the first time, when she said yes, her mother was upset. She didn't like that her daughter had made this choice. She wasn't yelled at but was scolded and was essentially grounded for three weeks.

“Is there a way I can help?” Kara asked seeing the footage of war on the walls in front of her.

“Kara, this is an adult conversation,” her father said, “Alura take her out of here.”

“There's a way you can help Krypton, Kara Zor-El,” the man said and Kara stopped though her mother kept pulling her way.

“How?” she asked, “How can I help Krypton?”

“Marry the prince of Rifar, Thom, once you're of age of course, and in return we'll protect Krypton.” Alura kneeled in front of her daughter turning her away from the earl.

“Kara, we can protect Krypton,” she said, “You're too young to make this choice.” Before she said yes to the man and her mother had cried, which was something Kara rarely saw.

“You can protect Krypton from Brenham?” she asked of her mother.

“Yes, sweetheart,” she said then glared at the man. Kara let her walk her out of the room and heard her father tell the man they declined an alliance at this time.

Then her mother was holding her in her arms tightly against her own body and Kara heard explosions. She saw the fires outside the window of her room. Krypton was dying but not from an unstable core.

“They're going to destroy Krypton,” she cried.

“Shhh,” Alura hushed, “Everything will be alright. I'm here.”

Kara was back on the couch. Brenham had destroyed Krypton before the planet exploded. That decided it. There was no preventing a planet's death at the hand of Brenham, saving them without marriage being necessary. She felt like she was going to vomit. She had done the right thing. Mxy had just proven that.

“I could have kept arguing against the council,” Liam said, “Maybe I can try again. And still protect Earth.” Kara didn't say anything still reeling from losing Alex, losing Krypton, losing everything again.

“Alright then,” Mxy said but Kara stopped him.

“We both knew there were other choices,” she said, “But we now know we made the right one. You can go now.”

“Are you sure you don't want another go around?” he asked.

“No, we made the right choice. Unless you can show us otherwise,” Kara said.

“Unfortunately even my magic doesn't work that way,” he said. Kara wanted to ask what would happen if they went with Liam's plan and she returned to Earth in nine months. But she saw that ending too. Not only were lives ruined in Rifar but Earth would be attacked too, just like it was the other times.

Then he was gone and Kara and Liam were left alone on the couch. Kara left the room and ethe dinner that she had just finished ended up in the toilet. Liam was there, pulling her hair back rubbing her back. She sat up and he held her. There was a silence between them. The both knew that the other choices lead to painful outcomes. And when Kara spoke with Alex the next day she told her about his visit. She didn't give too many details but she said that the right choice was made, that Brainy's calculation was correct: they lost every time. When Alex began to argue again that they could have fought Kara told her she saw her dead next to her. They still didn't know if Earth was really safe from Brenham but they knew for now it was the safest option.


	16. Tensio

Things were still tense between Kara and Liam. All Mxy's visit did was prove that Kara had made the right choice. It didn't make anything about moving to a new planet better. It didn't improve their relationship. Mxy had said he didn't feel any love between them and she had a feeling it was Mxy being Mxy but part of her worried if he was right and her mother was wrong. It took a while until she even became friends with Alex, until they tolerated each other. At night Liam held her tighter because he had seen, alongside with Mxy, what she had gone through making a different choice. But she didn't know how much of that was out of concern, our of pity rather than actual care, actual love for her.

After several days of her hardly saying anything Liam visited Dr. Willdridge. Maybe she knew what was going on.

“Your highness, I can't just tell you what happened during our appointment. If you want her to trust me I can't tell you anything without her say-so.”

“I'm the king,” he said.

“And there are laws in place,” she said, “All I will say is that's she's physically healthy.” What if she was pregnant? What if that's why she was so quiet? He didn't ask that but instead left her office. He spoke with Carson asking him to pull up records of any calls leaving the castle. There was no question as to why and soon Liam was looking at Kara and Dr. Willdridge's calls. Kara only called her sister but there were various numbers the doctor called. One was to a therapist up north. She'd brought up therapy to Kara. Kryptonians saw therapy, talking problems out to a stranger, as ridiculous. And it didn't matter that Kara had spent more than a decade on Earth, she must still think this.

When they sitting in bed that night Liam brought up the topic.

“Maybe we could talk to someone,” he said.

“What do you mean? About Brenham?” she asked.

“No, about us,” he said.

“Why would we need to talk to someone about us?” she asked.

“You aren't happy here,” he said cautiously, “And it's my fault.”

“What? No, we just saw that there was no other choice. Besides how do you know I'm not happy here?”

“I can see it,” he said, “And I can feel it too. I know you aren't happy. I'm just trying to think of ways to change that.”

“Time. It takes time,” she said, “It took time on Earth for me to be happy.”

“How long? Kara, I don't want you to be miserable for years here. I want you to like your life here. And maybe seeing someone to talk about it could-”

“Could what? Change things? How? How could they help, Liam? We can't go back in time and change the past, we already tried. Do you go talk to a stranger about your time in the war? Do you go once a week and talk about the people you saw die or the things you did to survive?” He did the first few months after the war ended because it was mandatory but he had remembered being angry. He saw it as a wasted hour. He was the king, he had more important things to do than sit and talk about a war he had ended. He knew people who survived and needed it but he wasn't one of them because he had seen war all of his life. When he became king, ending the war was a step forward. He tried not to think about his past because as king it was his job to move his people forward, towards peace.

“I did,” he said, “When the war first ended. And it helped. I just want you to be happy, I want us to be happy.”

“Going to talk to a stranger isn't going to help,” she countered.

“How do you know if you won't even try?” he asked. She didn't want to try. It was stupid. She had been fine on Earth without one. She'd be fine here. She just needed time. And she was tired of the arguments.

“I don't want to see someone. I don't need to see someone,” she said.

“We do, Kara,” he said.

“No, and don't set anything up because I won't go. Just drop it, just like we do every other topic.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” but he knew exactly what she meant.

“Having an heir is expected of us and they'll be dif-” she said. He groaned.

“Not this again. Not right now,” he said, “Eventually but not right now. Look, you don't have to worry about me being usurped. My place on the throne is safe. My cousin isn't a threat.”

“What about me? You don't have to fear your people, Liam. They love you! But me? I'm an invader. I've seen and experienced what happens when people fear you because you're different. Lex Luthor tried to kill my cousin because he was from a different planet, he used aliens, tore them away from their lives because they weren't from Earth. Ben Lockwood saw us as a threat, as those who destroy the lives of humans. And Lillian Luthor wanted to study aliens like me. You've seen war but you don't know what it's like to be feared because you're different. Because you have powers. What happens when your people find out I still have powers? They think it's fascinating that I flew around in a skirt saving people for the past five years but that could change. They could see me as a threat just like people on Earth did. And someone will. All it takes is one person, someone with power, someone with a sway over a small group of likeminded people. You don't know what fear does to someone. What fear will do to them. We have to protect _them_.” She pictured the two young girls that were her daughters in one of Mxy's alternate versions of her future. She pictured Astra ready to fight. And then she pictured someone screaming at her because she was different. She pictured meetings with a school principal with other parents angry about an alien child studying with their kids. All because they were afraid of her. She could see years ahead on this planet. One citizen pointing out how different the prince or princess was. And how it was odd. It's one thing for them to have power because of their father but this power was dangerous.

Liam realized in the silent minutes that followed that this wasn't about the people, the kingdom, or even them. This was about her. She was scared. She was terrified. This was what fear had done to her. And she was doing everything she could to protect herself. To protect their future children. She was suddenly afraid of their future. He wasn't sure as to why as all she had been doing the past month was bring up giving the country an heir.

“You're right,” he said though he had seen what fear had done to people and he saw what fear had done to her, “I'm sorry Kara.” He placed his hand on her cheek and wiped a tear away. She turned away as more tears fell. She went to move off the bed but Liam grabbed her arm. He almost let go remembering what happened the last time she tried to walk away. Almost. Instead he pulled her back and she didn't resist. He didn't pull her into his arms but he held onto her hands. She wore a bronze, jewel studding ring signaling that she was married to the king and was queen of Rifar. Along with her tattoo and her crown it showed his people that she was the queen if they didn't recognize her face.

“I won't let anyone hurt you,” he said. No one would go after the queen. News that he had fired Dr. Sappal had been leaked and there were rumors that something had gone wrong with the queen. And the people talked about how protective he seemed of her when they were in public. But if anyone wanted to hurt him they'd go after her. But she had her powers, or some of them anyway, to protect herself.

“No one will find out you still have your powers,” he said but it wasn't a promise he could make. Eventually they would have a child, have children, and it was likely they'd have some of the powers Kara did. And they wouldn't keep them locked away in the castle until they learned control. Kara was looking years ahead whereas he only looked a few days ahead. _Them_ was their future kids not the people, not those on Earth or Argo. No one with powers had occupied the throne of Rifar. His people trusted science and he knew most saw Kryptonian's powers as science, but few saw it as magic. It was something one of his advisors had brought up when they had first heard of Kara then found the footage. He had called him out on it, calling him ridiculous; that there was clear science as to why Kryptonians received powers under a yellow sun versus red. But the damage was done because he had received his information elsewhere.

This man was part of a small religious sect, the Ulodrins, that unfortunately his brother was involved in during his reign. They believed in magic, it was one of the reasons Thom had gone after Luxo. It was believed they were using magic in their weaponry. The people weren't told this because most believed that magic was only in film and other media. Liam had dismissed this advisor but this group thought that the reason Krypton died was because they used magic and their gods had punished them. It was a ridiculous theory and he doubted many people believed it. But Kara was right, all it took was one person to see her, to see their future children, as dangerous. But why be in a rush to have children then? It would secure his place on the throne to have a son but if the people began to see him as a threat, none of them would be safe. Kara would no longer be seen as a queen. He could divorce her, marry someone else, have heirs with someone else but she couldn't. If fear became powerful enough she wouldn't just be sent back to Earth.

Kara felt like she was fifteen again. Having powers but not being able to use them. Having to hide them from people, hide who she really was. She didn't know what fear had done to people, she hadn't felt blame, guilt from helping people questioning if she was doing the right thing by being Supergirl. But she was different now. The people could get to know her as a queen who could protect them, help them in more ways than previous queens.

“Maybe they should know,” she said tired of being afraid. If they knew everything would be out in the open. And maybe it wouldn't be like it had been on Earth. And if they knew, they wouldn't be surprised about the children having powers.

“No! No, Kara,” Liam said, “It's safer for you if they don't. There are people here who- they don't- it's just better if they don't know.” Now it was Liam who sounded fearful, who sounded panicked.

“Okay, okay,” she said reassuring him, “People won't find out about my powers.”

“Just to be safe the training sessions should probably stop,” he said.

“Of course. You're right, it's safer that way,” Kara said wanting to pull away. She wanted to be in the greenhouse. She wanted to fly around the city and just breathe like she used to when it felt like her world was beginning to crumble.

“The guards and soldiers and palace staff have strict orders not to speak of the sessions but anyone visiting... if they see you the people will find out,” he said meaning Esla. Kara knew she was in the palace with her daughters but was fortunate enough to not have run in to them yet. Alex's words echoed in her head. _You aren't Supergirl anymore. Stop pretending to be._ And she was no longer Supergirl on Earth because she no longer lived there. She no longer had to help the people of Earth because she already had. But she could help the people here. She couldn't wear her house crest or her red cape and she couldn't fly around during the day but she could help in secret. She'd be careful, be cautious. No one would know who she was. No one would find out she was using her powers to be a superhero again. Not even Liam.


	17. Monorail

Kara surprised Liam by telling him for one night a week she wanted to be alone and she wanted it to be the night she stayed in the greenhouse. She told him that it'd be easier for her to adjust if she had some alone time. He didn't really understand and told her he didn't want her to be alone. His fears of their future were now heightened. He had sent someone to the nightly meetings of the group Thom had been involved in. And they didn't like Kara but he couldn't jail all of them, not yet. Her fear was more valid than she realized. The greenhouse was complete glass and while it didn't face the city the walls of the castle weren't as fortified as he wanted them to be. He didn't think they needed to be, but now his view had changed. Palace guards weren't enough.

“Liam if anyone were to come into that greenhouse they wouldn't be prepared to fight me. If anything, you'd be in more danger than me. Someone's weapon won't hurt me like it will you.”

“We have powerful tech, just because you didn't see it in your training sessions-”

“I've seen it,” she said brushing off his concern, “I've faced some pretty serious weapons before. I can handle myself.”

“I'd prefer that I be with you,” he said sternly. Kara sighed, this was going to be more difficult than she thought.

“You can post guards out the door,” she said knowing this would make sneaking out even more of a challenge.

“Ever since Mxyzptlk there have been guards outside our doors every night,” he responded offhandedly. Kara was annoyed but didn't say anything, she bit her lip determined to win this argument.

“I think some space will be good,” she said, “And besides you'll know if I'm in danger right? Because of this tattoo?” She pulled up the sleeve of her dress. She had learned everything she could about how they were connected and how it could be blocked. Lead. It felt ironic. She'd slip on a lead lined bracelet when she left and then remove it when she returned. It wasn't hard to find one, all she had to do was ask Halisa, her permanent lady-in-waiting as Viv chose not to return, to get one for her. She'd even talked to her about finding her an outfit and was firm about making sure she told no one that these clothes were for her.

“Okay, but just once a week right?” he asked running his finger over the tattoo on her wrist.

“Just once a week,” she said.

And when that day came she spent it entirely in the greenhouse. She flew around and practiced her heat vision and freeze breath a few times. She was careful knowing that once she left that night she'd only have so much of her energy stored. And a good amount would be spent on flying. She didn't plan to work in the main city but one that was about fifty miles away. She'd listen for the crime and end it then she'd go home. Just one heroic act tonight. She'd start small. Then next week maybe two, put out a few fires perhaps. But first she had to get through tonight.

Liam joined her for dinner and she was fidgeting the entire time. He noticed.

“Kara are you alright?”

“I'm fine,” she said.

“Maybe I should stay here tonight. No, we should return to our regular room. You've been in here all day. Dr. Willdridge said evenings, not to spend all day-”

“One day won't kill me. I've just had too much caffeine,” she lied, “Just had a few cups of that coffee like drink... I forgot it doesn't affect me anymore.”

“No, this wasn't a good idea. Come on, let's go back,” he said standing up.

“No,” Kara said, “No, you don't get to make that decision.”

“Kara, it's not healthy-”

“I'm fine! Perfectly healthy.”

“Why are you so argumentative?” he asked. He was frustrated with the constant back and forth of their relationship.

“This is why I suggested some space,” Kara said standing up so quick her chair fell to the floor, “All we do is argue and then we kiss and make up like it never happened. Except we don't really kiss because you don't want that!”

“You want me to kiss you? Fine!” then he stepped towards her and pressed his lips on hers. He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him but she shoved him back. She didn't want this aspect of their relationship to be rooted in anger. He flew several feet back and she realized she had forgotten her strength. He stood up walking back towards her but she turned away biting an apology back.

“You should go,” she said quiet. She looked down her hands as he passed by her. She was clutching them mortified with what she had done. She could have seriously hurt him. She could have killed him.

“Kara, I'm sorry,” he said reaching to touched her but she shrank away.

“Please, just go,” she said her voice shaking.

“Kara,” he pleaded. She wanted to turn around and apologize. But if she did she'd never get to be her former self tonight. She'd go with him to their room.

“Go!” She didn't move until she heard the door shut behind her. She wasn't going to let what had just happened ruin her night. Even though all she wanted to do was call Alex and sit with her while eating pot stickers. But that couldn't happen and calling Alex wouldn't change the situation. She wiped away her tears and asked the guards outside to remove their plates that were still half full. She knew she'd regret not saving some of the food later but she didn't care. Once the guards were gone Kara changed into her outfit and held the bracelet waiting for the suns outside to finally go down. She wore an outfit similar to Alex's DEO uniform but with black gloves, a black hood, which she knew Oliver would have made fun of her for wearing, and a black mask. Back on Earth people didn't see what they didn't want to but here she'd be more easily recognized. Once the suns had set she locked the bedside table drawer that her wedding ring was in and flew to the very top of the greenhouse. There was a small window that she had found a few days prior. It wasn't easy to open, let alone fit through but she managed.

She didn't take time to listen or look at the land beneath her as she flew. She landed on a rooftop of an apartment building and focused. There were still people on the monorail, she could hear some chatting about their days at work or their kid being the first in their class, she also heard the gossip. She thought about tuning it out but she didn't.

“Did you see those homes that are being built?” a woman said.

“Someone I work with is one the list to get one. Toured it with him, they're better than my first apartment that's for sure,” a man said.

“But the western provinces aren't exactly stable,” she responded, “My brother, the stupid man chose to stay in Algaria. Lost everything. The king and queen visited a few weeks ago. He even met her, the new queen- Kara.”

“At least she's doing something,” he said then continued, “Last queen could have cared less about us. Just the king's arm candy since they never had a boy.”

“Seems outdated to me. Rest of the world has moved on. We are always a few steps behind,” she said.

“Like the king can do anything, already ended the war. He's too busy repairing the mess his brother made to do anything else,” he said. If they were in the presence of Esla, of one of Liam's advisors, or even Liam himself, words like this could be considered treasonous. She was sure. It was one thing to criticize a politician, another to criticize a king, former or not. Then she heard it. The screech of the breaks of the monorail. People began to panic and Kara flew above then below looking for the problem. A piece of the track was damaged beginning to creak and bow and fall apart. So much for something small. She stopped and grabbed the piece that was starting a crumble, a mixture of concrete and metal, and held it in place. She felt the weight of the monorail as it passed, heard the screams of the passengers and crew members.

“This is Monorail 1675- Mayday- I won't be able to stop in time, the bridge is going to fall,” the driver said. Then it passed and she let the piece fall to the ground.

“What in the world?” he asked as the train finally stopped.

She flew up towards the track, hovering several feet back. There were a handful of its passengers looking out the back window but they only saw a silhouette lit by the lamps. And someone even exited the back looking to see what had happened. They called out but she flew farther into the shadows. People inside were still confused as to what had just happened. Kara was curious as to why the rail fell apart. It'd been fine a few weeks ago when she and Liam were traveling. She wanted to get a closer look. It wasn't like concrete that became worn after excess use. This material was strong and unrelenting. It had been anyway. But the train was still there and she could still hear people talking. Some were still panicked worried about the rest of the track despite being on solid ground again. Other monorail trains were being stopped from coming this way, a repair team would be out in the morning. “Most likely the weather finally got to it. Not like any money went to repairs in the past years due to the war,” she heard. So she flew farther up and away back towards the greenhouse. The window was still open and she didn't hear any voices of concern. No one knew she had been gone for over half the night. She landed and changed out of her outfit. She removed the bracelet and replaced her ring.

Finally after months of feeling out of place she felt like she was herself again. Finally she could breathe without a weight on her chest. Alex had told her she wasn't Supergirl anymore, to stop pretending to be. And she wasn't on Earth. And she wasn't Supergirl here. She was just someone who could help. Who could do good. And she felt free just like she had on Earth. And all she wanted to do was share what she had done. With Alex, with Kal-El, with anyone. But she couldn't. If she told Alex her sister would tell her how reckless she was being. She couldn't tell Liam, she had a feeling he'd only put a stop to it. So instead she went to bed.

How could he have done that? Liam thought. Why had he done it? There wasn't a look of fear on her face due to his actions but what if it had been in their room versus the greenhouse? She didn't have the same level of strength. She wouldn't have been able to push him away like before. Maybe the greenhouse gave her a safety net. Was she afraid of him? Now she had reason to be he realized. He felt sick. He remembered why he suggested she return to their room. He had gone to see Dr. Willdridge and she had explained in detail as to why Kara should only spend one night there, and she stated that Kara really shouldn't be spending more than a few hours let alone a whole night. And Kara had spent the entire day there today. He should have brought her back. Shouldn't have let her stay. There were plenty of rooms in their wing she could sleep in if she really wanted to be alone. But he didn't want to sleep separately, he'd slept alone plenty and he didn't want to anymore. And they were husband and wife, they weren't supposed to sleep separately.

Thom had slept away from Esla but it was because he was with other women. He knew there were some children of his walking around. There was a portion of the royal budget going to various families. He had recently decreased the amount sent out and moved the funds elsewhere. One of his advisors told him that the families were unhappy but Liam had responded the money was enough to compensate for his brother's choices. They wouldn't dare go public after all this time and even if there was a boy amongst the bunch they couldn't claim the throne. They weren't a son of Esla. They could try to make a claim but it'd been months since he was crowned, they had missed their chance.

He thought about going back to the greenhouse and bringing Kara back to their room. No. She wouldn't come. He could try but the only way was to turn off the synthetic yellow sun and force her back here. And she'd hate him if he did that, seen him as Esla saw Thom. But he couldn't sleep that night. The bed was cold, empty and he wasn't used to it. So he walked to the greenhouse, just a couple of hours before dawn. The guards said nothing as he passed, they bowed their heads and as his eyes passed over them there was no look of curiosity, no judgement, no emotion. He opened the door and walked the stairs to the treehouse. Kara was asleep. He wanted to lie down next to her.

No, he wanted to pick her up and take her out of here. He knew being in here wasn't helping her. It was hindering her. She'd been lucky on their trip to the western provinces but their next trip she might not be. He was going to tell her that this night was the last night she'd be spending in here. It was for her health and he decided he wouldn't budge on the decision. She could only come into the greenhouse for short periods of time. He moved closer to the bed remembering to be quiet. The blanket had been thrown to the floor and she wore a short nightgown. He remembered when he had kissed her earlier.

He had felt her skin beneath the sweater she was wearing. And in that moment he had wanted to remove it. He had wanted to pull her even closer. He had wanted to carry her up to the treehouse and place her on the bed she was currently sleeping in. He had wanted to do more than kiss her. And had they been in their suite he might have. But he didn't want to be like his brother or his father. So he turned around and left the greenhouse leaving the blanket on the floor, and his wife in a bed separate from his.


	18. I am the King

Over the next few days nothing was said of the other night. This was typical of their relationship. What Kara had said was right. They kissed and made up like nothing happened except he had screwed that up too. But when Kara brought up staying the night in the greenhouse again he shut it down.

“I am sorry about the other night. I shouldn't have lost my temper, shouldn't have done what I did. But you aren't going to sleep in the greenhouse.”

“That isn't your decision,” she said.

“When it comes to your health it is. You're not thinking straight.”

“I'm not thinking straight? If you think you can just make decisions for me, it's you who's not thinking straight!”

“You can't adapt to this planet if you spend time in there. I should have never had that treehouse built, never taken you there. And I'm sorry for that. You love Earth and miss it and I just gave you something that lets you escape there. So of course why would you want to leave it?”

“Are you suggesting I'm addicted?”

“Maybe I am,” he said, “And I'm to blame for it. So, that's why I'm having the treehouse torn down. You won't be able to return to the greenhouse unless given permission.”

“Permission? I'm not a child,” she seethed.

“No but it's not like you'll avoid the place on your own. I know you've been to visit it more this past week. That has to be where you go when I wake up at night and you aren't in our bed.” Kara didn't say anything to this. She had visited the greenhouse during the day and then at night slipped from their bed to go help people.

“You can't force me to avoid the place, to do anything,” she said.

“Yes I can,” he said, “I am the king. I don't want to force you to do anything. I don't want to be that kind of King, that kind of husband. But I'm doing what's best for you since you clearly won't do it yourself.”

“I know what's best for me! And it's certainly not you making decisions for me!” she hissed back knowing if her voice rose too much the guards would hear.

“Kara. I don't want to make this decision for you, I don't want to make any decisions for you. This is the one aspect of my life I shouldn't have to make decisions.”

“I'm sorry I'm an inconvenience!”

“I didn't say that!” he yelled back not thinking about anyone hearing him. Kara stepped back though she still had lingering strength from the yellow sun.

“Don't try to control me!”

“I wouldn't have to if you would just do something for your own good! You have until dinner to get your things from the greenhouse,” his voice was somewhat calmer now but she could hear that he was ordering her. This wasn't a suggestion.

“Why do you care all of a sudden? Why does this even matter?” she spat.

“Because pretending that you're still on Earth isn't healthy. I get being here isn't what you wanted but you can't avoid it, pretend that it's some dream.” Kara wondered for a brief moment if he knew about what she really did at night. No, he thought she was just going to the greenhouse, soaking up the sun that didn't shine at night. If he knew he'd throw that in her face. He'd be furious. He'd do more than destroy the treehouse. But she was more scared of not being Supergirl than anything else. It felt like her last link to Earth, to her Kryptonian self, to who she was before all this. And helping people in this way- she didn't want to say goodbye to that. She didn't know if she'd ever be ready. She felt whole again. And she wasn't going to let someone take that away from her.

“I'm well aware that being queen of Rifar isn't some dream that I'm having,” Kara responded, “I know that it's my life-”

“Then act like it!” he shouted back, “This entire week you haven't done anything to state otherwise. I heard the fundraiser has been put on hold because you aren't showing up to the meetings. And I understand not wanting to meet with Esla but as queen it's not always about what you want or don't want to do. Your duty is to the people!”

“I stopped a monorail train from crashing and killing several dozen of your people!” Kara cried out then she realized what she had said.

“What?” he asked his voice suddenly low. He connected the dots quicker than she had thought he would and he grabbed her nearly shaking her.

“You were the one- you- the other night you didn't stay in the greenhouse. You've been using your powers,” he became still, then quiet suddenly aware of anyone listening to this conversation. He pulled her back farther into their suite. He closed the door to their room creating more of a barrier between them and the hallway.

“No,” she sputtered out, “I dreamed about it,” but there was no taking back what had been said, what had been learned.

“I was told about the monorail, the conductor thought it was just passengers who thought they saw something. That it was due to the trauma of what nearly dying. What were you thinking?”

“I saved them!” she cried out.

“But what if you were found out? You aren't someone who can hide within a crowd here. This isn't Earth. You can't masquerade as something you're not.”

“What I am is a superhero,” she said, “Supergirl saved those people. If it weren't for me they'd all be dead.”

“And what if your powers had given out? You'd be dead too.”

“But they didn't. I haven't had any issues this week,” she said. Liam pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Yet, you haven't had issues yet. How long did you think you could keep this up?” but he didn't give Kara a chance to respond and continued.

“It doesn't matter actually because you won't have your powers,” he said, “You'll be safe here. You'll stay here, away from harm.”

“I was perfectly safe helping those people,” Kara argued, “Nothing can harm me here, you don't have kryptonite.”

“Kryptonite isn't the only thing that can harm you. Physical harm isn't the only kind of harm I was talking about. You think the gossip is bad now? If you had been found out, the people would have a lot to say. They'd question you as queen. Question you as a wife, as a future mother. They'd question me. What was I thinking letting my wife run around putting herself in danger? If I let you do that, do I really care about my people? You worry about my place on the throne, thinking that a child will placate them, that it will keep us and everyone else safe but it won't matter if you keep flying around like a superhero. We will be more than questioned. We will be noticed by Brenham. They will see the strength that Kryptonians have under a yellow sun and they will go after your mother and everyone on Argo and use them in their armies. And they'll have you lead them and if not they'll kill you. And all of this,” he gestured to them, to their room, to Eastloch, to the kingdom as a whole, “will have been for nothing!”

“I was wrong before about hiding my powers from your people. If they knew I was saving them, it'll protect anyone else who is different like me. I just need more time, help more people. They can trust me as queen and as-”

“No!” he shouted, “No more. It's time we both face reality. Of what's expected of us. I wanted to give you time to adjust to your life here. I needed time to adjust too. But clearly that time's over.” he sighed He looked at the pendant she was wearing, her house crest, the same he wore on his shirt everyday. He lifted her necklace between his fingers. On Earth it was a symbol for a superhero, on Earth it meant hope. But here it was the queen's family crest, nothing more, nothing less. He let it fall back against her blouse.

“The new year will be here soon,” he said, “But I suggest we start over before then.” Then he turned away and left the room as Kara stood there speechless.

She was angry. Angry at herself for letting it slip. Angry at him for forbidding her, for controlling her. Angry that she didn't see his fears until now. Angry that his fears were valid too and that they seemed to be more important than hers. She was tired of being afraid. On Earth she was afraid of what would happen to those she loved if everyone knew she was Supergirl. But here if she was upfront about her powers, about how she could be helpful, she could change the narrative, possibly control it. Could have. Now it was Liam who was scared. He had assured her that his place on his throne was safe countless of times and now he was suddenly paranoid that if she revealed herself it wouldn't be? She didn't understand. In that moment he had reminded her of Alex after she had saved her from the plane crash. And she had a feeling if she told Alex, her sister would begrudgingly agree with him.

When Halisa knocked on the door thirty minutes later Kara wanted to tell her to go away. Kara wanted to scream. She wanted to fly out the window and return to Earth. She wanted normalcy and as much as she had tried to get used to it here she felt like it never would be normal here. And physically she was more normal here than on Earth but she held a title here. And there were more expectations of her here. Which was why she told Halisa to enter and inform her of the plans for the day.


	19. Questions

_How could she have been so stupid? So reckless?_ Liam thought. _And how could he have not noticed? What kind of king was he? Husband?_ She had seemed happier at dinner, he had seen her smile more and more. Of course, it wasn't because she was getting used to life here or because she was sneaking away to soak in yellow sun.

“Liam, I heard about your and Kara's little tryst this morning,” Carson said having entered Liam's office. He looked up from the documents he wasn't reading.

“No one said married life was easy,” he said then asked, “What happened?”

“You remember the monorail from earlier this week? The one that nearly crashed?” Liam asked.

“Yes, it's being taken care of. We know Thom put more funds towards war than anything else. But what does that have to do with what happened with Kara?”

“By spending more time in the Earth greenhouse Kara gained all of her powers. She saved those people,” he said and Carson sat down.

“You told her she couldn't go back to the greenhouse,” he said. Liam had mentioned in passing for her health he was removing the treehouse.

“Why didn't you mention there was more to it than her sleeping there?” he asked.

“I didn't know until a few hours ago,” he responded, “If the people found out...”

“We've been watching that _cult_ closely,” Carson said, “They don't know, they don't seem to suspect yet but she is a topic of conversation because she's not from Nibiru.”

“But what about when we have kids?” he asked.

“Didn't you mention she-”

“Yes. And I'm even more confused as to why. If she was so concerned about their safety why not postpone that as long as possible?”

“Maybe she didn't realize until now that they could have her powers,” Carson said, “Maybe someone said something to her. Up until recently she was concerned about keeping your place on the throne safe, despite it not being in danger, and having an heir was the best way she saw how. She saw Esla and what happened to her.”

“I'm not Thom! I'm not my brother!” he shouted but Carson remained unmoved.

“I'm well aware of that,” he said, “And I'm sure she is too. But on Earth for a long time the only position of a queen was to give birth to a male heir. Seeing Esla confirmed that and the long line of boys in your family confirmed that it was true here too. Fear is a powerful tool. It can change one's mind in an instant.” Liam knew that Carson was thinking about his own family now. When his son had been born two years ago he was afraid that he'd grow up in a world only knowing war and never knowing him. He and Liam had been comrades but he joked with him that Rifar would never be a peaceful country regardless of what he hoped for. But when his son was born and there was a possibility the war could venture past the western provinces, posing a real threat to his family, he clung to the hope that Liam presented. Before he had feared losing his life in battle, of his friends dying in battle, but afterwards he feared for his son more than anything else. Carson could see how Kara's perceptive changed even though she did not have a child yet. He was curious as to what it was that shifted her fear, shifted her viewpoint on her new life. He knew Liam wasn't party to this information as he sat there sipping a beverage similar to alcohol on Earth so early in the morning. He wanted to ask her because then maybe he could help but it was a line he wouldn't dare cross.

“But why did that fear manifest so quickly?” Liam asked, “She won't talk to me, not now anyway. I don't understand her.”

“She's still a stranger to you.”

“I didn't think she was,” Liam said, “It was getting better. I thought we were finally adjusting. Not anymore.”

“What do you plan to do now?” Carson asked. Liam shrugged filling up his glass again.

“I don't want it to be awkward between us. I don't think I could stand the silence. But I don't think she'll want to even look at me after this morning.”

And he was right. At dinner Kara didn't acknowledge him. She knew it was childish. He tried to make conversation but she ignored him. She took a shower that night so to avoid him joining her in the tub. She sat out on the balcony while he was showering. It was slowly warming up, the snow finally melting. It was still too cold at night to want to sit outside but Kara didn't care. She had tried to prepare herself for tonight, for seeing him again. She had decided that ignoring him was better than screaming at him which was what she wanted to do. She spun her wedding ring around her finger wanting to fling it into the gardens below. But she reminded herself why she was here. It wasn't to be Supergirl on this planet. It was to protect Earth, to protect Argo and marrying Liam- becoming a wife, a queen was the right choice.

She'd become a mother too. To a prince or a princess or both or several. And they could have her powers. She remembered having to hide them and at thirteen she understood, as much as she hated it. She had never asked Clark what it was like growing up with powers. Did he accidentally reveal his powers in grade school? How did the Kents protect him? She never learned if her cousin's kids had similar powers. She didn't want to hide away anyone in the castle. Though that seemed to be how Liam grew up. He hadn't mentioned many outings visiting the people growing up. She thought about asking him but was still angry. He was trying to control her. Surely he'd control the children's lives as well. Would she even get a say? Had he only been pretending to be someone he wasn't this entire time? Pretending to be a guy who cared when really all he wanted was control? She was tired of all these questions with little to no answers.

When Kara returned to their room Liam was sitting on the bed reading. Kara didn't bother asking what it was or to tell him to turn off the light as she lied down.

“Goodnight,” she heard Liam say after the lights went out. She was half-asleep and nearly responded but she stayed quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I can't believe the season 5 finale is next week! I will be continuing to post on Sundays throughout the rest of May and the summer. Let me know what you thought of the chapter and I'll have chapter 20 for you next week!


	20. Esla's Job

Halisa was grinning ear to ear as she braided Kara's hair the following morning.

“Why are you so happy?” she asked trying not to sound annoyed.

“My sister told me she's pregnant,” she said, “I'm going to be an aunt!”

“That's wonderful,” Kara said, “Tell her I said congratulations.”

“Really?” Halisa squealed, “She'll be thrilled that the queen acknowledged her. She's not that far along but her husband- my brother-in-law- swears its' a girl.”

“A baby. Can you believe it? They'll have a baby by the first snowfall of next year.” Kara was still unfamiliar with the calendar of Nibiru. News Years was only a few weeks away. The people welcomed a new year just as spring flowers began to bloom. She tried to remember when winter started for Rifar. It was, she counted on her fingers muttering the months, around seven months from now. The calendar year was twelve months like on Earth but due to Rifar's relation to the sun the weather patterns were vastly different. Winter was five months, fall three months and spring was one month whereas summer was three like fall. Kara had arrived in the beginning of winter and to learn that she'd be dealing with the cold for five months every year was disheartening.

Kara waited for Halisa to say something about when she and his highness would be welcoming a baby. Her question would only be out of curiosity whereas Dr. Sappal's had been for different reasons. But she only continued on about her family. She was relieved because she wasn't sure how she'd respond to the question. If she snapped at her, saying she was out a line, the girl would remain quiet for weeks. And it could also be information taken as possible gossip that the king and queen were having difficulty trying to conceive.

“Was your family affected by the war?” Kara finally asked cutting off Halisa's rambling.

“My brother was drafted,” she said quietly, “He went missing about a week before the war ended. He's still missing. My father thinks he's in a war camp in Luxo, that they didn't release everyone because they're still angry with Rifar. King Thom went to war with them because of their acts in magic.”

“Magic?” Kara asked.

“That was never the official reason,” Halisa said quickly, “Just something my brother wrote about in a letter home. It's just a rumor. I shouldn't have said anything.” She attempted to change the subject switching to the new years celebration coming up.

“Are there other soldiers who are still missing?” Kara asked as Halisa was lacing up the back of her dress. She was having lunch with Esla and her daughters today. She had to look her best but she refused to wear a corset.

“Your highness I really shouldn't have said anything!” she sputtered out, “No one thinks about the war anymore.”

“You do,” Kara said, “And so does everyone who has family who fought in the war, died in the war.”

“Everyone is just trying to move on,” she said quietly, “It's easier just to forget.”

“Easier for the people who are safe,” Kara said recalling Ben Lockwood. His life was destroyed time and time again because of alien battles. Peoples lives were destroyed by war here. By the multiple wars. The war with Luxo only lasted three years but the one before that was six years long. Liam had fought in both, survived both. There was about two years between them. Liam had spent most of the last decade fighting and lived. But he wasn't the one who woke up every night from nightmares. She was.

“Did you grow up in Eastloch?” Kara asked, “When you moved here?”

“No. No, I was in one of the central provinces. Magleau. It's large, lots of farms. Mostly farms.”

“So, you grew up on a farm?” Kara asked glad to see her finally relaxing.

“No, my mother owns a bakery,” she said, “We traded a lot with the farmers, fresh produce for fresh bread. My father works for this big tech company, it's why we moved here. They opened an office in Magleau and needed someone to run it. My parents always wanted to travel. And not long after they moved here the king closed off the borders. Restricted travel for everyone, no one in, no one out.”

“So, you've never returned to Jubreylia?” Kara asked.

“Not psychically, there's holographic travel of course. I've seen my grandparents aunts, uncles, cousins but my brother is the only one to have left the country.”

“Has the travel ban been lifted?” Kara asked.

“No,” Halisa said, “But it's only been six months. I'm sure his highness has more pressing matters.”

“Yes,” Kara said, “Will you accompany to my lunch? I know when you trained to become a lady-in-waiting it wasn't just to help me dress.”

“Of course your highness,” she said.

Kara sat at the head of the table while Esla sat to her right, her daughters filled the remaining seats. The oldest, Irene, was married and currently pregnant, most likely only weeks away from her due date. The son of the Earl she had married was recently stripped of his title by Liam. Kara knew that he was close friends with Thom and she wondered if his son was as cruel to Irene was he was to Esla. None of the girls wanted to be there and the youngest, Julea, spent the first course whining. She didn't like the food, didn't like the new set up of the dining room, though it had always been this way since Kara had arrived, and didn't like the rooms they were in. She wanted her old room, which as far as Kara understood, was stripped to the bones. The furniture remained but the room had been repainted, bedding had been replaced and overall was no longer a child's room. Esla didn't try to hush her or tell her she was being rude so Kara did it for her.

The women and children at the table weren't in full on ballgowns but their attire was more lavish than Kara's. Her dress was a dark green, the bodice a shade darker than the floor length skirt. There was a simple belt around the waist. There was no glitter, no lace, and Kara wasn't wearing any jewelry except her house crest necklace and wedding ring, one that she supposed Esla wore once. In contrast the former queen and princesses wore luxuriant dresses. Each dress was embroidered and were scattered with what looked like rhinestones. It felt overdone for lunch. This wasn't a formal event but Halisa had told her that the former queen was extravagant.

“I know you aren't happy here and I am sorry about that. But it's no excuse to behave poorly,” Kara said, “If you can't behave I will ask you to leave this table.” She only shrieked aggravating Kara's growing headache. Kara motioned over Halisa and requested a guard come and take the child to her room.

“You can't punish my child,” Esla said.

“Someone has to since you clearly won't do it yourself. She's ten and should know how to behave. I understand she's had a disruption in her life but-”

“Disruption? Her father is dead and she's moved to a completely new part of the country-” Esla began to argue.

“And because of her father hundreds of kids lost one of their parents and dozens were evacuated out of their homes because they'd been destroyed by an unnecessary war. You don't see them throwing tantrums in the streets. You and your daughters are here to celebrate the upcoming holiday but I won't have any of them misbehaving.”

“My daughters are not yours to discipline. You aren't a parent. Maybe when you become a one- if you become one, you'll understand how difficult it is to keep them all in line.” She had used nannies, Kara knew this, Esla was hardly around to be a parent.

“I wouldn't have to discipline them if you did your job,” Kara seethed.

“You took my job away from me!” Esla screeched.

“She's doing a better job than you ever did,” Halisa said who was still by Kara's side. Her voice was soft but clearly heard by everyone at the table. Esla, who was sitting to Kara's right, stood and faced Halisa.

“You have no right to speak to me in such a way!” Esla screamed at Halisa and raised her hand to slap her. But Kara was quick and stepped in front of her, her chair hitting the ground with a loud crash. Every single palace guard in the room moved towards Kara and Esla. But the guards weren't quick enough and Esla was so blind with her anger she hadn't noticed that she didn't slap a maid but a queen.

The slap stung and Kara used all of her strength to not accidentally throw the woman across the room, to not use her heat vision or anything else to reveal she had some of her powers. Esla pulled her hand away in shock but didn't apologize as a pair of guards pulled her back. One of her daughters began to protest saying Kara had stepped in the way, that the servant was out of line.

“This lunch is over,” Kara said turning and she and Halisa left the dining room. Halisa began to apologize the second they were in the hallway but Kara waited to say anything until they returned to the suite.

And the first thing Kara did was hug her. She thanked her then pulled away and explained that while she appreciated her standing up in the way she did, she couldn't do it again. She had to learn to stand on her own two feet. Halisa responded that even Supergirl needed help some times. Kara didn't get a chance to respond to this however because at that moment the door opened and Liam stepped in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts! I'll be including pictures in the chapters here and there.


	21. Fearful

Halisa curtseyed then left the room though Liam hardly acknowledged her. He only looked at Kara.

“What happened? I was only told that there was some kind of altercation with Esla.”

“She's angry about me being queen and when Halisa said something she flew off the handle.” The silence between them was over.

“I don't understand.”

“She tried to hit Halisa,” Kara said, “And I stepped in the way.”

“Did she hit you?” he asked moving closer raising his hand to her face as if looking for a red mark. He touched her face moving the curtain of hair she'd been using to shield the mark and Kara nodded. He swore and began to mutter about how he was going to do something but she stopped him.

She began to explain what happened at the lunch. She told him of Julea, of the constant whining, and of her still present headache. Kara told him how she requested she be removed since she wouldn't behave and Esla didn't approve. There was an accusation and then Esla screamed at her. She was angry at Kara for being queen. That's when Halisa said something and she snapped. Kara sat down on the couch letting out a sigh.

“She won't be welcomed back at this castle,” Liam said sitting next to her.

“It was an accident,” she said, “It was meant for Halisa.”

“It doesn't matter. She hit the queen and every single guard saw it. She hit you. How can you not be more upset about that?”

“I used to be a superhero. I can take more than a few punches. One of Cat's former employees threw me out of a window. One of Esla's daughters tried to stand up for her, basically approved of her attempting to hit Halisa. That's what I'm more concerned about.”

“It's not unknown that many of my nieces are terrors,” Liam responded, “They drove away nanny after nanny. I'm not surprised she was so much of a headache. It was the right choice to send her to her room.” He let out a soft laugh imagining in a distant future him or Kara sending a child to their room. It'd be down the hall, maybe painted purple, filled with the newest toys and the softest bedspread covered in embroidered flowers. Then he remembered the fear that had recently manifested. And instead of the newest toys and a happy child, he pictured toys accidentally torn and a child's eyes filled with tears wondering why they were different. His smile disappeared. He still didn't know when this fear developed for Kara or why it developed. And now he had the same questions she did months ago. How long could they wait to have a child? How long until there were questions? They didn't even know if this child would have any powers of Kara's. She only had a few herself. There was a possibility there wouldn't be any.

“We can talk to Dr. Willdridge,” he finally said, “Find out if... if any of our children will have your powers.” Kara felt like all the breath had been knocked out of her.

“We don't- it's not-” she sputtered out. She wasn't expecting to have this conversation.

“We can't stop dancing around this issue anymore. We both know it. I know you're still angry about the greenhouse. And that I ordered you to stay away from it. I was- am frustrated still. It's been three months and I'm still angry. That I took you away. That I didn't marry Yarina. That my brother died and left me a mess of a country to fix. That my brother spent nearly half of his reign on war, on trying to conquer lands and failing.”

“Did you love her? Love Yarina?” Kara asked. She had always assumed that the arrangement was purely political but now she wondered if it was more.

“No,” he said, “I knew her. We messaged each other. Her husband, first husband, died in the war right when it started. She loved him. But she knew what her role was just like I did- do. We met a few times while the wedding was planned. I met her daughter. She's a few years older than Julea and when those two met. You thought Julea was bad? She went after her, blamed her for the death of her father because Julea wouldn't shut up about how great Rifar was, how we won the war. Yarina was so upset with her daughter's behavior. Told her she needed to apologize, which she did, half-heartedly. Esla only smiled, the way she does. Yarina turned the other cheek but I'm glad that you didn't.”

Kara didn't say anything so he continued talking. He talked about going to see Dr. Willdridge. Maybe there was a way to conceal or mask any powers when the child was young until they were old enough to control them. But Kara knew that it wasn't necessarily about age. What would happen when their son or daughter was a teenager and had a meltdown? Or what if they were simply acting on instinct to protect themselves? They'd be different because of their powers and if the people found out because of something they did in public or at a dinner... She didn't want them to hide like she had to. She didn't want to put that pressure on her kids or have them put that pressure on theirs.

But she said nothing as he suggested idea after idea. Because like her he knew that there would be no actual attempt at bringing a baby into this world until this issue was resolved. She thought about telling him that she should just reveal she have powers but she knew he wouldn't like that idea. For whatever reason when she brought it up the last time he became panicked or shot it down without further discussion. Maybe she could ask Carson about that. Maybe he'd know why.

“Kara, are you listening to me?” he asked. Kara looked at Liam. She hadn't heard a word he'd said in the last twenty minutes.

“Kara?” he asked. She could hear the worry in his voice.

“We'll figure this out.”

“The people have to know about my powers,” Kara finally said.

“No, it's not-”

“What would have happened today if instead of not just taking that slap I had used my heat vision or my freeze breath? The news of what happened I'm sure is already out. And if I had used one of my powers it'd be twisted to look like I attacked her rather than defended myself. The people may not like Esla, Halisa surely doesn't, but they don't know me like they do her.”

“There's a statement already being written. One of her daughters, I'm not sure which, already released a post about the incident. I'm sure she painted her mother in a better light. And you didn't use your powers-”

“But what if I had? Yarina's daughter went after Julea but she didn't have the strength or the powers that our children could have. What if they're found out because of a fight with another kid? I don't want them to have to conceal their powers. It's not healthy. I know what it does to you. To have to hide you're different.”

“It's not the right time for you to reveal your powers,” he said his voice stern and Kara got the impression that his mind wouldn't change. She knew from being Supergirl that there wasn't usually a 'right time'. The right time that he was talking about could come when someone was in danger. And that could be tomorrow, the next week, next month or next year. She wanted to reveal her powers on her own terms this time.

“Liam,” she said softly noticing he was tense, “They're going to find out eventually. And- and we can be careful that Brenham doesn't find out.” She remembered that he had brought them up when he found out she was using her powers. She wished Mxy was here. To find out what happened if she revealed herself now or waited. But he shook his head. What was it he wasn't telling her?

“Liam,” she said, “We can't wait forever. We have to tell them eventually.”

“No, no they can't know,” he said suddenly standing up. Kara grabbed his hand.

What he hadn't told Kara was that this morning he was informed that the cult they were watching was planning something. They suspected that Kara was different. They watched video after video of her as Supergirl. _Look at her using magic. Just like the other Kryptonians did._ He was planning on shutting it down but he wanted to make sure Kara wouldn't be harmed because of it. And he had a feeling if he told her she'd want to go speak to them, to do something herself. He saw her fear manifesting in reality. He wasn't sure how the fear came about and he didn't want to tell her it was valid. Didn't want to scare her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Leave me your thoughts. I'll be posting on time this up coming Sunday!


	22. Truths

Kara noticed that during the next few days it was Liam who was distant. He avoided any discussion of their future. Just last week he had said they needed to face their future, their expectations and now here he was avoiding all of it. Nothing felt stable. Not like their relationship or anything at all felt stable before, but it was worse now. She had tried to speak with Carson but he only said she should speak with his highness.

There was of course the gossip of what had happened at lunch but it didn't bother Kara because there were more pressing matters. Esla and her daughters had left the castle without an apology to Kara. She had spoken with them the last morning they were here. She held her head high in the face of Esla's anger and bitterness. She told her outright that until her daughters changed their behavior they wouldn't be welcome back at the castle. There was no argument, not even a word from Julea. The daughter who had released a statement, Caylynn, had all of her devices taken away by the head palace guard. Kara learned she'd been given a lecture and stern warning about releasing false information about the queen of Rifar.

Kara returned to planning the fundraiser for the pod houses, expecting it to take place right after new years which couldn't come soon enough. The fundraiser planning was intermingled with planning for the New Years Ball. Kara spent hours with the chefs and time with seamstresses to plan her attire. Kara also went back to having curly hair despite it being out of fashion, extensions were put in lengthening her hair down farther down her back. Something else she was working on was redesigning her and Liam's bedroom. She mentioned it to him and he didn't seem for or against it. His mind was always elsewhere and he would never tell her where.

“You were the one who suggested we start over,” she had said one night, “But how can we if you don't talk to me!” He said nothing to this and she left their table.

He didn't say anything either one night when he walked into their room to see the transformation. The paintings had been removed. The four poster bed had been replaced with one with a grey fabric covered headboard that was against dark turquoise wall. The bedding was no longer cream but a light blue color. Instead of facing the doors that lead to the balcony, the bed faced the fireplace. At the end of the bed was a small loveseat covered in light blue velvet. Kara had the curtains changed as well, to something lighter. They let in sun in the morning even when closed and weren't a hassle to open or close. The remaining walls were a grey so light it was almost white with the beams of the vaulted ceiling painted the same dark turquoise. By the door to the closet were a pair of cream colored chairs which Kara had added a pillow to each. They were embroidered in gold thread, one with her house crest and one with his. The previous furniture in their room had been moved to storage. Kara asked him what kind of art he wanted to put up.

Had he been in a better mood, in a joyful mood, he would have showed her the artwork he had done. He had even painted her, it was of when he first saw her. She was standing in a field with agents behind her in her Supergirl uniform. Then he had painted her in her coronation gown. Something he had wanted to show her was the skyline he'd painted of National City. He wanted to show her it the night he told her she couldn't return to the greenhouse despite knowing it wouldn't replace Earth. But it sat in his studio along with the dozens of other paintings he had minimal time to work on along with the sculptures.

But he didn't tell her anything about his artwork. He had been too focused on the cult to think about anything else. They were in the process of figuring out how to go disbanding them, of jailing the leaders. Of revealing how dangerous they were to the media. Several members were ordered to watch Kara, to follow her when she left the castle. Liam had doubled her guards when she left the castle which she questioned of course. He had only responded that with the recent events it was safer. And when he learned she had slipped away from her guards he became furious.

“They're there for your safety!” he yelled at her over dinner.

“But what do I need to be safe from?” she had asked, “What are you so scared of? Liam, just tell me! Stop keeping me in the dark, please.” So he sat down and told her. He told her of the cult. The one who was now laser focused on her. This was a group his brother had supported and was the reasons why he went after Luxo. Kara told him of Halisa, of the comment about her brother.

“There are still soldiers missing but we don't believe they're held in prisoner camps. Our relationship with Luxo is still healing and they know if they were to be hiding our soldiers it wouldn't help matters. I've had a group searching though, but right now they're presumed dead.” He continued to talk about these people's belief in magic and Kara remembered what happened when humans believed in magic. There were witch trials in England and in America but she knew they had the support of leaders. She asked him how many members there were. In Eastloch around one hundred but he wasn't sure about the other provinces, he'd found out about three others but figured there were more.

“You can't disband them until you know about every faction,” she said, “And there's a chance that even if you condemn them you won't be successful.”

“I will be,” he said, “We have ways of making sure we are successful.” Kara began to explain cults where she lived. She knew there were still some children of liberty, not many were outspoken, not in National City at least. But there were some in smaller towns, in places far from where she lived. Alex had told her she couldn't change all of their minds.

“We don't have to change their minds, just prevent the spread,” he said, “I have more power than your DEO or government had.”

“But if you force them they could grow to fear you. Other people could begin to fear-”

“They should fear me,” he said, “They should know that they can't go after the queen without consequences. Its' treason. The others in the country know this. This cult will be extinguished.” Kara knew there wasn't any way she could change his mind and she knew Alex would agree with him, if she told her she might even try to use this as a way to convince her to return to Earth. She asked him if she could mention to Halisa about her brother, that they were looking. He nodded.

“This is why you didn't want me to reveal my powers,” she eventually stated and he nodded again.

“Your fear for our children manifested, I don't know where it came from, but it's real and I'm sorry.”

“It's not your fault,” Kara said, “Do you remember when Mxy visited? There were these two little girls, mine, and one of them, Astra, she had heatvision. She wanted to fight. But when I pictured her life I saw people scared of her because she was different. I was thirteen when I landed on Earth, I knew not to use my powers in public but our children won't. And I won't hide them away. I don't know how old they'll be and I won't keep them locked away for years waiting.”

“You can't show anyone yet. Until this group is silenced I don't want anyone to find out. They could use it to argue against our narrative and I'm worried about Esla and her daughters.” They were still upset about what happened and Irene's husband might attempt to use the anger or fear against them to his advantage. Kara had forgotten about Irene. She had only been the one to look embarrassed when Kara had spoken to them that morning. This had surprised her. Was she embarrassed with her mother's behavior or embarrassed at her current situation? Though her husband's title had been stripped and they had to leave their piece of land they still had a large amount of money. They were well off and it could be years until her husband or her needed to find work.

Liam began to tell Kara about his days after this conversation. He occasionally brought up the cult and Kara suggested maybe going to a meeting. She had done so once with the children of liberty. She could wear different clothes, a wig, hide that she was the queen. He of course shot the idea down and said even he wouldn't attend a meeting until it was to disband them.

As the weather became warmer Kara noticed her wardrobe was being swapped out. She was dressed in lighter clothing and had begun to return to the clothing that was more comfortable rather than that expected of a queen. She wore short sleeve blouses and while her skirts were still floor length they weren't as many layers as before. The colors leaned more towards traditional spring colors. Then it was time for the New Years Ball and to ring in the new year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts!


	23. New Years

Kara spent the day of the New Years Ball rushing around the castle making sure everything was in order even though the event planner assured her everything was. As Halisa dressed Kara for the evening Kara mentioned Halisa's brother, that he was being looked for along with the other missing soldiers. She was careful with her words, not wanting to raise her hopes too much because she knew that the chance there'd be a good outcome would be slim.

Kara wore a lavender gown that was covered with lace. It felt very 'prom-like' but when she had mentioned this to Halisa she had no clue what she was talking about. Kara had attempted to explain what prom was but the girl only thought it was strange. She had spent the later years of her schooling in a VR school like most teens. Social events like dances were uncommon for most teens. There were meet-ups but nothing like a dance.

There was no dinner like there had been with the coronation but food was brought out throughout the evening for its' attendees. Mainly appetizers and desserts and drinks. Kara enjoyed the beverages that were similar to wine. She was careful with how much she drank as she was now affected by alcohol.

“I think we're finally starting to adjust, to move on,” she said as she danced with Liam alluding to their fight from a month ago.

“And just in time for new years,” he said.

“It didn't help keep secrets,” she said, “Have you heard anymore about the Ulodrins?”

“Let's not talk about that now, here,” he said.

“Do you think there are people apart of that cult here?”

“No,” he said, “But you know more than anyone what the gossip mill is like. I don't want anything getting back to a member. And- I don't want tonight to be about them.”

“Oh,” she said as he pulled her closer breaking away from the traditional Rifarian waltz they were doing. The music changed as the orchestra noticed this. The cult had been his laser focus the last month. They had found more groups across the country but there was no telling how large it was. But he didn't want to go into the new year discussing this group.

“I wanted to tell you how gorgeous you look in your new dress,” he said changing the subject.

“Thank you,” she said. The dress had a plunging neckline the floral lace making up most of the bodice, if it could be called that.

The rest of the night they talked about the possibilities for the new year. The pod homes that would be built and distributed to families in need. The repairing of the western provinces. They welcomed in the new year with their guests and stayed up well past midnight. The party was similar to the new years eve parties on Earth, just more expensive than the ones Kara was used to.

Liam sat behind Kara in the bathtub that night, which they were now back to doing most nights. She admitted to him that she learned their wedding night was different than most. He thought she was alluding to the fact that they didn't have sex but she told him it was more than that. He asked her if she wanted that, curious if they were in that place now. She twisted herself slightly and placed a kiss on his lips giving him his answer.

In bed that night he kissed her and they let their towels fall to the bedroom floor. They slept together for the first time since that night. When Kara woke up late in the morning Liam was awake beside her. He kissed her and she smiled.

“We should have more nights like that,” he said and she let out a soft laugh, “We could have mornings like this too.” He kissed her again planning to continue what happened last night and she welcomed it.

There was a knock on the door to the hallway and Liam groaned. He went and grabbed his robe, also grabbing Kara's handing to her before he went to the door. She slipped the robe on lightly tying it but didn't get up to follow him. She heard him speak to whomever was at the door, it sounded like Carson. He was apologizing but there was a matter that needed his attention. Kara then got up and stood in the doorway to their antechamber.

“Is it the Ulodrins?” he asked, “Have they done something?” His voice was quiet. He didn't know Kara was listening, didn't want to disturb her but Kara walked up to him.

“What's happened?” she asked tightening the belt.

“With the Ulodrins? Nothing. We've received communication from Brenham,” he said. Kara's stomach dropped and she grabbed Liam's arm. He was tense too. They knew the threat.

“Okay, I'll be right there,” he said, “Give me a minute to get dressed.” Kara dressed with him and they walked down the hallway with Carson. They entered a conference room, his advisors were there and they were on a conference call with the other leaders of Nibiru, there were ten in total. They were sitting around a table but Kara could tell they were holograms. They looked at her briefly but didn't seem that interested. Liam had mentioned at usual United Council meetings the spouses were also present but they weren't here this time.

“They haven't contacted us in several years,” an older woman said, she recognized her- she was the queen of Jubreylia, where Halisa was from.

“What did the communication say?” Liam asked.

“They wanted to congratulate us on welcoming a new year and hope our relations can prosper. They want to meet with us,” a king said. He was the king of Luxo and looked weathered. He had lost his son in the recent war. He didn't look at Liam with hate or loathing which surprised Kara.

“When?” Liam asked looking at the letter. There was no date, no knowing of when the would arrive, if they would arrive.” There was no telling the people of her powers now. Not if anyone from Brenham could hear about it. She looked at Liam.

“So, we're just supposed to wait and hope they give us a heads up that they're on their way?” he asked. He wasn't the youngest leader here but the most inexperienced. He'd only been king for ten months. A president named Codix was five years younger than Liam at twenty-nine. She knew Thom became king when he was in early twenties.

“We want to send communication back. Thank them for the well wishes and plan for a visit,” the same king said in response, “They could be planning to visit an individual country or want to visit everyone.”

“We all have a list of planets we're protecting,” the queen of Jubreylia said, “It's best we get our stories straight beforehand.”

“Do we warn them?” Kara asked. Everyone in the room including Liam looked at her.

“I'm from one of those planets,” she said, “I need to know if they have to prepare for something.”

“You're the Kryptonian who was living on Earth,” the king of Luxo, King Aylard said, “The one with the powers of the yellow sun.”

“I don't have those powers anymore, I couldn't fight them,” she said.

“We won't be fighting each other,” he said, “We have our alliance. We won't be warning our alliances to Brenham. They will want a list however. Just as we want a list of our planet's alliances.” Kara hadn't been asked of Earth's alliances. She supposed it was because they didn't have any. Humans had only traveled to the moon, no other planets, not yet at least. Argo was an alliance she guessed but Liam hadn't needed to ask about an alliance with her people.

“Do we know why they've contacted us now?” President Codix asked.

“No,” another leader said who was sitting across from Kara. The leaders continued talking about strategizing and Liam brought up what footage they had gathered of Brenham. Their tech was up and running and they were getting back to full strength since their pandemic. Kara remained silent remember when she had first seen footage of Brenham. It was a reminder of why she was here. She hadn't spoke to Alex much in the past month and she decided it was best to keep it that way until there was something good to tell her. One of the leaders eventually said they needed to go and left the room. Not long after the meeting was over. Then it was just her Liam and Carson. But Carson was dismissed quickly.

“We'll be able to learn how much of a threat they pose when they visit,” Liam said standing up. Kara nodded.

“Earth isn't in any danger, even if they are to learn they'll be risking war with us,” he said.

“No one can win a war against them. Everyone at this table knew it. Maybe they will risk it just so they aren't held back from what they want.”

“None of our intel suggests they will attack us. We're concerned about other planets, but right now we have to protect Nibiru. If something happens to Nibiru then we can't help anyone,” he said. As Supergirl Kara wanted to protect and help as many as possible. Now she saw galaxies of people she could protect and she was restricted to a country of around three hundred and fifty million people. It was a more than what she was used to in the US but in comparison to the other planets and those who lived there it was miniscule. He was right, if something happened to Nibiru, like a pandemic had to Brenham their weakness could be taken advantage of. The leaders of Brenham could go after other planets, maybe not those with an alliance to Nibiru, but no one would try to convince them otherwise.

“How many alliances does Rifar have?” Kara asked.

“We have three including Earth. We've written in that Argo is a colony of Earth,” he said, “Despite no Terra-humans living there.”

“And the other countries? How many in total?” she asked. She knew she had been told this but couldn't remember the exact number.

“In total, twelve,” he said, “Not every country has alliances, they don't see the need for them and don't want to garner attention from Brenham. But they still came to the meeting and will stand with us should it come to it. Rifar is one of the largest countries on Nibiru, Luxo is next then Othain, and Epla. I'll make sure you receive the information about the other countries. You don't need to learn their customs since I doubt we will be traveling anytime soon.” Kara had been living here for four months and still felt like she knew next to nothing.

The pair eventually returned back to their room. A late lunch had been set out for them and they sat trying to talk about anything to distract themselves.


	24. Poll

There was no word on when or if Brenham would be visiting. They hadn't responded to any message sent to them. So, every leader was prepping for an impending visit. Liam sent out several trusted soldiers to infiltrate the various Ulodrin groups across Rifar. They didn't know about Kara's powers but Liam knew they were a possible threat to the queen. Nothing was said to the people about Brenham, in fact only so many people knew about the dangerous planet. They knew it was an old colony of Nibiru, of Luxo, to be exact. But the king in the stories was dangerous because of was crazy. No one knew that they still sought to rule over more than one planet. They'd been kept in the dark. From what she'd learned, most of the planet had. High ranking officials didn't even know of the dangers of Brenham unlike her parents on Krypton.

When Alex called Kara about a week after the council meeting she knew her sister was keeping something from her. A hologram of her sister appeared in the antechamber. She looked around the room and spotted the bedroom. Alex flinched as if the thought of Kara sleeping anywhere besides her apartment in National City, and with a strange man, was intolerable.

“What's going on?” she asked, “You've hardly called at all these past two months.”

“Nothing, it's just been busy,” Kara said, “I had to plan a new years celebration and am still working on this fundraiser. I've been busy, that's all.”

“Yeah, okay,” Alex said not totally convinced, “And how are things with Liam?”

“They're going well,” Kara said not bringing up the other night. She continued to talk about life in Rifar avoiding Brenham. Then at the end of the phone call when Kara could feel her sister was about to bring up the planet she said, “We can't talk about the death star.”

“What?” Alex asked, “Kara what are you talking about?”

“We can't talk about the death star,” she said again slower hoping her sister would make the connection, “Vader is... it, would be unwise.”

“Okay,” Alex bristled, “Let me know if anything changes.” Kara let out a sigh of relief.

“I will, when I can,” she said, “I'll give you a proper tour eventually.” Then her sister disappeared from her room. Kara told Liam of the conversation at dinner which they still had in the privacy of their suite.

He told Kara that one of their scientists was working on a piece of jewelry that would mask all of her powers for when the leaders of Brenham were here. It was an extra safety precaution that Kara for once welcomed.

“I don't want our kids to wear something like it though,” she said, “I do want the people to know eventually.”

“I know,” he said. He was still wary of the idea of telling the people until Ulodrin was under control and even then with Brenham he was even more nervous. But he knew she could reveal herself on accident, maybe protecting someone in town or even protecting herself if for whatever reason her guards weren't quick enough. He then asked if anyone had said something to her about an heir recently as it seemed to a common topic brought up between them. She shook her head.

“I heard one of the guards talking,” he said, “his daughter is pregnant with her third child. He mentioned she found this poll online. And uh-”

“There are guesses as to when we'll have a child,” Kara said, “I worked for this magazine as a reporter and not long before Crisis the management changed and so did the entire rhetoric of what I did. Do you have the link to the poll?”

“I do,” he said turning to their television. He pulled out his tablet and there it was on the larger television screen. A question read: When will it be announced that the queen is expecting? And image below showed her and Liam at the New Years Ball with a red circle drawn around her abdomen. There were four options to choose from. Each one had a corresponding image.

  * It has to be any day now! - A black and white ultrasound of a baby

  * Surely within the next three months- A photo of Liam's arms around Kara

  * Has to be at most by the end of this year- A photo from of New Years Ball decor was used

  * Tragically, it won't be until the end of next year- A calendar pic art was used with a sad face




“How soon is the public informed of the pregnancy?” she asked, “On Earth most couples are encouraged to wait three months.” The captions for the images used were poor. She could see Andrea asking for it to be rewritten. Or maybe not since all she cared about was clicks.

“Two months, usually,” he said, “That's how it was for Esla.” She was surprised at the length in guesses. She wanted to know the results, it'd be up for three more days and had already been up for four. She recognized the poll was made by the gossip show she watched. The results would be discussed on their Monday night show.

“Should we guess?” she asked with a playful smile. Liam looked confused.

“As Supergirl I dealt with polls like this,” she said, “About what kind of sports bra I wore, make-up or deodorant I used, uh potential boyfriends or girlfriends, what kind of day job I had. No one was able to guess that last one, reporter wasn't even an option.”

“Okay,” he said waving a remote over the options. He picked the third one. Kara didn't say anything but knew that it was a possibility. If polls like this were already showing up it was proof that some people weren't patient about a possible heir.

  * It has to be any day now! 53%

  * Surely within the next three months 22%

  * Has to be at most by the end of this year 20%

  * Tragically, it won't be until the end of next year 5%




In total nearly three million people had currently voted. Liam then asked if she wanted the poll taken down.

“No,” she said, “It's free speech, free press.” Then she explained to him that tabloids did stuff like this all the time to all kinds of people on Earth. And in countries like America and the UK it was legal.

“It's not harming anyone,” Kara said.

“You're not bothered by this?” he asked.

“Are you?” she asked.

“Not really,” he said, “There are more important things to be concerned about.”

“This is something that's distracting the people,” she said, “That's what we need right now, isn't it?” She felt weird saying it, knowing on Earth she hated how distracting the technology was and how the media was when it involved polls like this, ones that pried into the lives of private people. She hadn't wanted to distract the humans on Earth when there was a possible threat, she'd wanted them to work together and show they didn't back down. But it was different here. Right now the people were still recovering from the war though it'd been nearly a year.

The following Monday Liam joined Kara in watching the gossip show. The numbers were slightly different than what they had been a few days ago. Of the five million people that voted, fifty-nine percent believe she was already pregnant, twenty-percent believed they'd be announcing within the next three months, fourteen percent guessed the same as Kara and Liam and the remaining seven suggested it wouldn't be until the end of the following year. Two hosts pointed out several photos that supported the top guess.

“It's been four and a half months since she's arrived,” the third host said, “I think it'll be a few more months until we hear anything. They've both been busy on separate projects. But if an inside source would like to step forward and present different information, it'd be welcomed.” There was laughter and eventually they moved on to the next topic which focused on a current artist's new album being leaked early.

Thanks for reading! I forgot to add a picture of Kara's New Years Eve gown in the last chapter so I'm adding it now. Let me know your thoughts on this filler chapter, or story overall, and I'll update soon. - K


	25. Peace between Rifar and Luxo

Halisa asked most days if there was any news and Kara eventually had to tell her that as soon as she had information she'd be the first to know. She had given her hope and after day after day of receiving no information Kara could see that it was chipping away at her spirit. Liam had spoken to the king of Luxo and was told that Luxo had no such camps, that it was his brother who had imprisoned Luxo soldiers. But Liam knew of soldiers from Rifar who had been held because Carson had been able to free a camp not long before Thom died.

“The peace between us and Luxo is still unsteady,” he said at dinner one night, “There's a nobleman's son that is in need of a wife. Esla's daughter Jenassa is of marrying age.”

“She won't like that,” Kara said. She remembered Jenassa. She wasn't like Caylynn who was only sixteen. She had been quiet the entire dinner, her nose in a book. Kara was less than thrilled with the idea of a political marriage, though its' what hers' was. But she knew it was for the health of Nibiru which was now her sole focus.

“She just turned nineteen,” Liam said, “While Esla won't like it I doubt Jenassa will protest.”

“This nobleman's son, what's he like?” Kara asked.

“He recently inherited his father's land,” Liam said, “From what I've heard he spends a lot of time on the farms, wanted to work with his people.”

“And his character?” Kara asked. She wanted to know if he was like Thom, if he would beat his wife, sleep with other women.

“There's no gossip to suggest his character is poor,” Liam said.

“We should have Jenassa brought here,” Kara said, “Will the wedding be taking place in Rifar or Luxo?”

“Luxo,” he said, “We'll be following their traditions. The whole country will be focused on the broadcast of the wedding while we have soldiers go in and try to find any remaining camps.”

“I thought you didn't believe they kept anymore soldiers from the war?”

“Carson freed a camp of a few hundred soldiers at the tail end of the war and they're denying there were any.”

“So, are you marrying her off for peace or for these soldiers?” Kara asked.

“Both, what's that saying on Earth? Something about stones and birds?”

“Killing two birds with one stone,” Kara said, “When will they be married?”

“I want it done as soon as possible. Next week possibly,” he said, “King Aylard agrees with me that any guests from Rifar attending should be through a hologram. We'll be there with Carson however.”

“What about Esla?” Kara asked.

“She refuses to step foot in Luxo,” he said, “To her, they're at fault for all that's gone wrong in her life.”

“Don't forget about me, I am the one who stole her job,” Kara said, “You really believe she won't attend her daughter's wedding?”

“I think she'll be too angry about her daughter marrying someone from Luxo to see that she should support her daughter.”

“Why marry one of Esla's daughters off?”

“A marriage between a Lord of Luxo and a princess of Rifar will mark peace between the two countries,” Liam responded, “Though it's nearly been a year this will mark an end to the bloodshed.”

“Has Janessa been informed?” Kara asked.

“She'll be informed tomorrow morning,” he asked.

Kara was on the holo-call with Liam when Janessa was informed. Her mother was in the room and started arguing immediately. But Janessa remained composed. She honestly looked like she didn't care but Kara couldn't tell if it was because she was being a princess or because she could care less who she ended up with. She was the one to calm her mother down.

“It's my duty mother,” she said then looked at Liam, “When am I requested at the castle your highness?”

“You'll be leaving this evening. We have an escort on the way.”

“Then I suppose I should go get ready,” she said and curtsied as Liam dismissed her.

“Why are you doing this?” Esla asked narrowing her eyes at Liam, “Is this punishment for what happened?” She looked at Kara and her eyes flickered to the crown Kara was wearing. She had worn it at the request of Liam. It was to remind Esla of her place, he had said.

“Lord Ayden is in need of wife and Janessa is of marrying age,” Liam said, “And Rifar and Luxo are in search of peace. You of all people know the importance of peace Esla.” Kara didn't know where this comment came from. Maybe she and Thom had married as a peace agreement to end a war. She had never learned the details of their union. She just knew she was from Nibiru, not another planet like Kara was.

Janessa arrived at the castle early the next morning. Kara was the one to greet her. She had several suitcases with her but only one was filled with clothes, the others were stuffed with books.

“I have a tablet that stores my whole library,” she said, “Even looks like real paper. But these books are special.” Kara nodded familiar with something similar on Earth.

“Are they signed or something?” Kara asked. She hadn't read much fiction in the past few years. She hadn't read that much growing up in Midvale either. “Why should I bother reading about a fictional world when it feels like I'm living in one?” she had asked Alex bitterly one day when she offered her a science fiction book.

“They're ones I read with a friend,” she said.

“I take it you're close,” Kara said sitting down at a table with tea that had been readied for Janessa's arrival.

“We were,” she said, “Joseph wanted to be a writer. My father ensured he wasn't.” Kara didn't say anything and Janessa continued. This was the most she had heard the girl talk.

“He sent him to war with the bare minimum of training. I begged him no to,” she said her voice beginning to crack, “When he wouldn't do that I asked if he'd at least make sure he was in Uncle Liam's battalion. He survived not much longer than a year. His parents buried an empty coffin. And my mother wouldn't even let me attend his memorial. Said it was uncouth of a princess to mingle outside her station.”

“Why tell me all this?” Kara asked.

“Because you protect people unlike my father. You saved a monorail that his cousin was on,” she said and Kara choked on her drink.

“I watched the footage of you as Supergirl, helping all those people. While I love my books I was best in the science subjects during my schooling. We have two suns and you have Kryptonian blood. I figured the yellow sun would affect you somehow. So when I heard about the monorail, the burning building, and the shelter that was saved from a flood I knew it had to be you. But then it stopped. Why?” Kara was stunned. If this girl had figured it out who else had?

“I didn't tell anyone,” she said when Kara didn't say anything, “I don't really talk to a lot of people these days.”

“It was no longer safe to continue,” Kara said, “Enough about me. Your uncle has set up a holo-call between you and Lord Ayden. I suggest you rest beforehand. My lady-in-waiting will help you get ready.”

“I don't think anyone else knows it was you,” Janessa said, “I haven't heard otherwise anyway.” Kara was unsure if she could trust her. She didn't seem like her mother, in fact she seemed very angry at her parents.

“You should go prepare for you call with Lord Ayden,” Kara said in response. Janessa nodded and Kara excused her from the table.

After dinner, which was held in the dinning room since Janessa was visiting, Kara told Liam about what had happened when they were having tea.

“She won't tell anyone,” he said calmly.

“Why are you so calm?”

“Because of all my nieces, Janessa is the smartest,” he said, “I knew Joseph. When I returned after the war I heard about how she reacted when she found out about his death. She attacked the man who delivered the information. Refused to believe him. When Thom confirmed the information during a holo-call she destroyed the machine projecting his image. Her mother had her sedated. It was over a year until she spoke to anyone in her family. Her and Joseph had joined an anti-war group not long before the war with Luxo started, she continued attending the meetings after his death but was eventually found out. When Thom found out he actually returned home to punish her. She had revealed herself at a rally, blaming him for Joseph's death. She was bold and was dubbed by the media as the rebellious princess. But she wasn't seen a outside of the castle much after that. I'm surprised she lasted as long as she did living with her mother and sisters.”

“She had her books,” Kara said softly.

“I believe her and Ayden will be content together.”

“Were her and Joseph more than friends?” Kara asked.

“He confided in me that he wanted to marry her once she was of age. I told him it'd have to be done secretly but I'd help him should she say yes.”

“You weren't worried about your brother's reaction? Or Esla's?”

“They wouldn't have remained in Eastloch,” he said, “My brother might have sent someone had the media found out. But unless it made him look bad, I doubt he'd have done anything.” But it didn't matter what Janessa and Joseph could have been. Now she was to marry Lord Ayden of Luxo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Let me know your thoughts and I'll post the next chapter soon! - K


	26. Janessa's Wedding

Janessa had been quiet the week before her wedding. She spent the evenings speaking with Ayden and during the day was taught about Luxo. She didn't need to learn about how to be a lady, how to act in social situations like Kara had. And she didn't need to know the importance of connecting with the people. Kara had watched the footage of the rally where Janessa revealed herself. She wasn't wearing a usual gown but jeans and a shirt that had a slogan on it bashing the war. She had worn a hat and sunglasses shielding her face but when she stepped up to a microphone on the stage she removed them.

“While all here oppose the war with Luxo and wish it to end, there is someone that must be held accountable. My father, King Thom started this war to gain land that was unnecessary. He is greedy. And it is his greed that has lead to the deaths of hundreds of our nation's men and women. Because of his greed, children are without parents. Because of his greed wives have lost there husbands or visa versa. Because of his greed the western provinces have been destroyed. And because of his greed I lost someone very dear to me. His greed has no place in Rifar if it means the loss of life. It is because of him I am ashamed to be not only a subject of this kingdom but its' princess. Rifar and its' people deserve more than-” But the mic had been cut off and she was removed from the stage. This hadn't stopped her from attempting to continue her speech. This was a video that accompanied recent headlines like **Rebellious princess of Rifar to marry Lord Malcom of Luxo**. Kara knew how Janessa had been changed from the spirited girl she was to the young woman she was now. There were no visible scars but she knew they were there, scars that silenced her into submission. On the monorail ride to Luxo she was in the same car as Kara and Liam. They would spend the night in Luxo and the following afternoon was when the ceremony would take place. After dinner with the king and queen of Luxo her and Liam would return home.

Since Kara was unsure if her mother had prepared her she was the one to bring up the sensitive topic.

“I'm sure you are aware of what's expected of you and Ayden tomorrow night,” Kara said.

“I've already...” she said, “Joseph and I shared a bed together the night before he left. We were careful.”

“You loved him.”

“We should have run away,” she said, “We should have left the minute his draft order came in.”

“Lord Ayden is a good man,” Kara said after a moment of silence. Janessa nodded, knowing this to be true.

The wedding ceremony for Ayden and Janessa was much more extravagant than Liam and Kara's. For one more people attended. The dress Janessa wore was soft pink and was a full gown with jewels fit for a princess or rather Lady, extravagant in comparison to Kara's navy blue dress of her mother's she had borrowed. Flowers filled the hall and the scents were overwhelming for Kara but didn't seem to bother Liam.

Though the ceremony was a lavish event there was no type of reception afterwards. The guests all began to leave but Kara and Liam remained in the hall. Liam was greeted by King Aylard and Kara met his wife, Corellia. Kara could tell the woman didn't trust Liam. During their small talk which consisted of the recent new years eve celebration which had passed two weeks ago now, how successful the union of Janessa and Ayden would be, and the recent behavior of some celebrity that the youngest princess, who was sixteen, adored, Kara noticed she consistently glanced over at Liam. At dinner Corellia remarked on Kara's pallor.

“Are you feeling alright?” she asked then asked a question that caused Liam to spit out his drink, “Are you expecting? When I was first pregnant with Deckard I couldn't stand any meat at all.”

“No!” Kara exclaimed looking over at Liam who was moving out of the way as servants cleaned up the mess he had just made, spilling his wine all over the table and his dinner plate, “No, we aren't- I'm not...”

“Perhaps you're just not used to the cuisine,” she said ignoring Liam's reaction to her question. The rest of the meal was awkward to say the least.

“You aren't pregnant are you?” Liam asked the minute the door to their room in a monorail sleeper car closed.

“No! I'd know if I was pregnant,” Kara said, “I'm not pregnant. At least I don't think I am.” She sat down on the bed.

“We'll manage if you are. We knew that it is an expectation,” he said as he began to unlace the back of her dress. Neither of them slept much. Liam ran his fingers through Kara's long hair. She felt calmer with Liam besides her. She knew this would have to happen sooner or later. It'd been something on her mind since before the marriage. The poll had been a reminder of what was expected. When Kara saw Esla and her six daughters it was a reminder of what was expected of her. If she consistently had girls would they keep trying until a male? If Brenham didn't destroy them all first, that was. But they hadn't been a threat these past forty years, well, it was like a Cold War threat, except Nibiru wasn't pointing a weapon at them. So she looked past the threat of Brenham though it was ever present. She felt Liam's fingers leave her hair and felt his hand on her abdomen.

“Your trip to Luxo was short,” Halisa said the morning after Kara and Liam had returned.

“Yes, we only stayed for the ceremony and dinner,” she said, “Didn't see much of the country I'm afraid. Perhaps another time.”

“How was the dinner?” she asked, “I heard their food is- different.”

“Yes, it didn't sit well with me,” she said.

“Oh?” Halisa asked.

“It's not that,” Kara said, “Traveling must have upset my stomach.” And that was the end of their conversation.

When her and Liam had returned the previous day late in the morning the first thing they did was go see Dr. Willdridge. She wasn't pregnant, at least thats what the tests stated. Dr. Willdridge suggested being retested in a couple of weeks, however. If they suspected pregnancy at the moment it was important to be checking again soon.

“I still don't understand why you didn't need me yesterday, your majesty,” Halisa said as they left the room.

“Spending time with your family is important,” Kara said, “Speaking of families, we're greeting more today. They've all been displaced because of the war and they will be seeing the homes they'll be living in once they return to Huline, Uzdine and Aglaria. Which should hopefully be in the next few months.”

Kara and Halisa left the castle with the usual four guards. Kara hated it but at least now she knew why Liam insisted on it. She could spot the members watching her now. They tried to blend in amongst the paparazzi but Kara had been shown photos of the members. She tried not to view it negatively, like these people's privacy was being invaded. But she thought about having the faces of those involved with the children of liberty. She knew Alex, had she had that knowledge, would have locked all the members up because they posed a threat to her sister. And if Alex knew about this cult she'd feel the same. The cult was rather large within the city walls which she knew concerned Liam and they had a following across Rifar. They were a threat to the crown and Liam wanted them gone, wanted them eviscerated, but he wanted it done quietly. He didn't want anyone to know they existed. Kara wasn't sure how this could be done.

She tried to focus on the families she was meeting but when one member of the family she met was involved in the cult she gave up. Instead of focusing on her role as queen she reverted back to being Kara Danvers. Kara Danvers would be curious as to this father's thoughts. She'd want to know why he joined the cult? Why did he believe in magic? Were his other family members involved with the cult? Kara's guards however saw him as a potential threat.

“Queen Kara,” one of them said as Kara was speaking to the wife.

“Excuse me,” she said and turned to the guard.

“We've received word from the palace that you are to return early,” he said. Kara stood up straighter and returned her focus to the family.

“I apologize,” she said then looked at one of the coordinators beckoning them over, “Rune will take care of you.”

“We didn't have to leave,” she said to the guard once they were out of earshot.

“You were too close for comfort,” he said, “His highness would be displeased if-” But Kara cut him off with the wave of her hand.

“Yeah, okay,” she sighed.

At dinner that evening she told him of her day and mentioned the incident. Liam responded it was for her safety. Though they weren't violent he didn't want to risk them becoming so. She brought up maybe using the virtual world to help people. She had stayed away from it until now because it reminded her too much of National City. But maybe they could utilize it here differently than how it was one Earth.

“I've spent some time in the virtual world,” he said, “Most of my schooling took place in virtual classrooms. I even trained for the army in one, prepared in previous wars. There are these cafes in town that offer escape to it since access to it isn't offered for private individuals.” This was vastly different than virtual reality on Earth. She thought of Andrea who offered it as an escape and Kara had met individuals who spent more time inside their virtual life versus their real one on Earth. And its creators had either seen the damage or planned to prevent it.

“What about school? Halisa mentioned she didn't have school in the way I was used to.”

“The students still go to a building for classes,” he said, “But they spend their day in a virtual ones. They see history happen before their eyes and the plays they've read are performed before them. Science experiments are safer. Why do you ask?”

“Many of the citizens of Rifar spend a lot of time within these realities. And virtual reality is perfectly safe, right I can't be injured there?”

“You can only feel pain if you wear nerve patches. Should you go through the childbirth simulation, you'll wear them.”

“Good, this way I can meet people from all over the country without being in danger. And we don't have to travel. We can show more people of the western provinces what the pod homes look like, how the area is progressing clean up wise.”

“When you enter the virtual world for the first time I'll be accompanying you,” he said, “It can be jarring the first time. Esla never spent time in it, the first time she exited out because it made her sick.”

“I've dealt with something similar,” Kara said not wanting to get into the black mercy attack she had during her first year as Supergirl.

“I don't have to go with you,” he started to say.

“I didn't say that,” Kara said, “How would we organize a virtual meet up so to speak if people don't have access to these lenses?”

“Lenses will be properly distributed and for those who don't want to wear the lenses the tour can be broadcast. Its' a good way to put the war behind us.”

“Have you heard anymore about POW camps in Luxo?” He shook his head and mentioned it could be weeks until they heard anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I know this chapter was longer than usual but there was a lot I wanted to cover. I was thinking about a possible spin off focusing on Janessa and Malcolm. Would it be something any on you would be interested? Let me know your thoughts and I'll upload the next chapter soon! - K


	27. Virtual Reality

Though several weeks had passed since Janessa's wedding nothing had been heard about any found camps in Luxo. Nor had she or Liam had entered the virtual world. The fundraiser that Kara had planned had gone and passed. Some money had been raised but not the amount she had wished for, not the amount needed. Halisa had told her not to let her hopes down when Kara was in a poor mood in the days that had followed.

So when Liam finally brought up entering virtual reality Kara saw it as progress. Finally, these people could be returned to their homes. They'd accomplish what Liam had set out working on when he became king eleven months ago. People could finally have peace and they could move forward. They sat on the loveseat in their bedroom and placed their contacts in.

When Kara opened here eyes she stood next to Liam in a white room. In front of them suspended in midair was a map of Rifar. She'd seen this map and one of Nibiru.

“We'll select one of the western provinces and it'll materialize before us,” he said. To travel to Aglaria, Uzdine, and Huline it'd taken a day by monorail from Eastloch, which was closer to the eastern border. The land of Rifar, though similar in size to Europe, was shaped differently. It bordered Luxo to the west. Kara spotted Magleau where Halisa had grown up and Liam pointed out the area he had spent time in training. It was a northern province, the only province north of Eastloch.

“This is a private session?” she asked as the province of Aglaira appeared around them. It was completely void of people. She knew the province was in better shape than the others but she knew the virtual reality world could paint it as immaculate for those who visited.

“Yes, only a skilled hacker would be able to enter this session.”

“Should we worry about that?” He shook his head.

“No, our firewalls are strong,” he said then handed her a tablet that showed one of the pod houses.

“You can place them,” he said, “The architects believed this spot would be good for them. The land is flat and not far from grocers, local shops.” Kara moved her fingers across the screen and saw the houses materialize in front of her. They could fit hundreds in this area, create a village of them. And the other provinces they visited yielded similar results. Uzdine, which was the province most damaged by the war was clear of debris. There were minimal signs that this had once been home to a battle field. She wondered what Luxo had looked like in comparison. She wished she'd had time to see the country before or after Janessa's wedding.

“Is this what the provinces really look like?” she asked.

“That's what the footage we have shows as well as the workers,” he said, “Businesses want to open within the next few months, hopefully before the winter season starts. The medical centers are ready and the schools will be soon.” Spring was over and summer had barely begun. Winter was six months away. She'd started on this project not long after she'd arrive. To think of waiting possibly another six months till these people's lives would be normal again didn't feel like quick enough progress.

“But only so many homes have been built, where will people live?”

“I had leftover funds from the cleanup,” he said, “Rune has overseen the construction work. There is still work to be done, they still need to be moved and we have to work on sign up for them but I'm hopeful that everyone displaced will return to their home provinces by the end of summer and schools can start only a little late.”

“Why didn't you say anything?” she asked as they returned to the map of Rifar.

“I didn't want you to go into the city and check on progress,” he said, “I don't want to put you in danger of any Ulodrins.”

“So you expect me to stay locked away in the castle because one of its' members happens to be from one of the western provinces?”

“No, I just don't want you to be interacting with any of them. They've become more active. They've upped their recruiting efforts. But we think we've isolated all of the groups and we plan to gather the leaders of each one soon.”

“And how are you doing that?”

“Carson has an idea,” he said and ended the simulation. She had wanted to explore more but now apparently wasn't the time.

“So, what are you doing once all the leaders are gathered?” Kara asked sitting up straight. She'd been leaning against Liam and now had a crick in her neck. He placed his hands against her neck massaging her.

“I won't be confronting them,” he said, “They'll be told to disband and if they refuse they'll be imprisoned. We have a roster of their current members and they'll be sent royal mail enclosed with an official warning. Should they continue their meetings or go public they'll face fines or imprisonment. We have enough evidence of treason, audio recordings of wishing ill will towards you. You were right, some people really don't like an outsider as queen. They believed you harnessed magic on Earth, just like my brother believed Luxo did.”

So, Halisa was right. Thom believed in magic and believed Luxo was using it. The religion that most Rifarians practiced condemned it despite there being no occurrence of it in six-hundred years. She had done research in the royal library after Halisa brought it up. Kara of course till believed in Rao but she knew she couldn't raise the heirs to Rifar to believe in him or the other Kryptonian Gods when Rifar had a monogamous belief system. It wasn't something she had thought much of. One because she didn't really see herself having a family beyond her short trip to Argo, and because no one else really knew of Rao. She had tried once explaining the Book of Rao to her cousin. He had listened to her because he'd wanted to know more about Krypton but he didn't believe in him like she did. She hadn't talked to Liam about religion, she didn't know if he practiced in any way. These thoughts continued to run through her mind while they sat in the tub.

Liam combed soap through her hair with his fingers and talked about mixing up their usual dinners with something different. She gave a few mm'hmms as he mentioned dishes she didn't know.

“The VR was a lot,” he said, “It's why I didn't want you to spend that much time in there.” But Kara was only half listening and didn't realize what was going on when he lifted her out of the tub.

“Liam! What are you doing?” she asked. She wrapped her arms around his neck though she knew he wouldn't drop her.

“We're going to bed,” he said.

“Oh?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said kissing her. Kara kissed Liam back as he placed her on the bed. She began to lay back as he climbed onto the bed with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I'm still curious as to if you'll read a Janessa spin-off. I was also wondering if you'd want steamier chapters when it comes to Kara and Liam's relationship. They'd be published in a separate work rated M and would include sections from chapters 11, 23, 27 and onward. Thanks again for reading and please leave me your thoughts!- K


	28. Capture of an Ulodrin Leader

Kara had spent time talking with the leading scientists working on VR to find a way to meet with her sister. Liam was hesitant about this thinking it was just another way for Kara to pretend she was back on Earth.

“This isn't the greenhouse,” Kara said, “I can speak to her safely in VR. No one will be listening in. We can talk about everything without fear of...” but she trailed off.

“Kara, Brenham isn't listening in,” Liam said, “Not in our castle, not on the grounds.” They were walking in the garden enjoying the early summer weather.

“I can't go visit Alex on Earth while we wait for their arrival, it's been over a year for her now. She's growing impatient to see me.”

“Alright,” he said, “But it's not that easy to combine different VR spectrums.” Kara nodded. She knew this, it is why she spoke with the scientists but they'd figured it out.

“And the Ulodrins? Have they been taken care of?” she asked. It'd been a conversation over their meals ever since he'd told her about them, how he feared them.

“As we speak,” Liam said.

“Good,” she said, “Are you worried that Carson won't be successful?”

“If he's not successful we have measures in place to eliminate them,” he said. Kara winced at this despite knowing the reasons behind it.

“I just don't want there to be any blood shed caused on my behalf.”

“To speak against a member of the royal family is treasonous. It's one thing for people to gossip but they see you as a threat which I won't allow. You are not a threat. I won't have them treating you as such and I can't afford to wait for them to act on their suspicions.” Then he stopped at a bench and sat down.

“Is something wrong?” Kara asked as she sat down with him.

“I'm just ready for everything to settle down,” he said.

“Is there any word from the Council about Brenham?” she asked.

“You'll know as soon as I do,” he said, “But so far they've remained quiet.”

“Do you think they'll attack Nibiru?” Kara asked.

“I doubt it,” he said, “They owe us a debt. Maybe they're coming to repay it. I don't know. I don't want to discuss them.”

“Okay,” she said and he kissed her temple resting his head on top of hers.

“Did you go back to see Dr. Willdridge?” he asked. She hadn't. It'd been just over a month since they'd returned from Luxo. They'd slept together more than once since then but she didn't feel like she was pregnant and honestly didn't know if she wanted it confirmed or not. Returning to Willdridge would only be a reminder that an heir was expected. But until the visit of Brenham passed they couldn't say anything about her having powers and she had connected her powers to their children's future.

“I don't want to discuss that,” she said.

“We should sleep outside tonight, on our balcony,” he said pulling her closer, into his arms. She pulled up her legs, tucking them close to her body.

“Sure,” she said. They sat there in silence for what felt like hours. Kara was half-asleep when a guard came up to Liam.

“Your highness, General Carson has returned,” he said and handed him a slip of paper. He unfolded it and his eyes scanned the paper. He folded it back up and stood up.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I'll see you at dinner,” he said and began to walk away.

“Liam,” Kara said following him, “What happened?”

“I need to go take care of this,” he said.

“It's the Uldorins, isn't it?”

“Yes,” he said then motioned a guard over, “Go with the queen. Take her to our room. Don't let her leave.”

“Liam, what's going on?” Kara asked.

“I'll explain later,” he said giving her a kiss, “Just go with him. Please.” Then he turned at left going back into the castle.

Liam entered one of the interrogation rooms and saw Carson with one man sitting in a chair.

“What is wrong with you? Bringing him here?” Liam asked Carson shoving him against a wall. He knew this man, his face was seared in his memory, his image was plastered on one of the screens in the main situation room he spent most of his time in as king. He was the head of the cult. He was the one who ordered for his followers to watch Kara. The one who wanted her gone.

“He sees my wife- your queen as a threat!”

“I brought him here for you to deal with him,” Carson said, “His friends backed off, they're doing what's ordered but he needs a little more persuasion. Wanted to see you.” Liam stepped away from his friend and turned towards the cult leader.

“What's your problem with the queen?” he asked wanting to strangle him. But he sat down and waited for him to speak. But the man said nothing. Liam asked him a dozen other questions. But the leader didn't answer any of them.

“Do you know how Krypton died?” he asked Liam after an hour of silence.

“The planet was unstable. Everyone knows this,” he said.

“The Kryptonians practiced magic. Mind Control. Angered their Gods though I'm sure some believe it was a gift from them. Rao punished them for it. We've all seen the footage of the Kryptonian invader flying around with a cape. She practices magic too just like everyone else on Krypton. The humans of Earth were under her control.” Liam's hand tightened around the armrest of his chair when the cult leader called Kara an invader.

“No, magic doesn't exist. And your queen certainly doesn't practice it,” he said, “I could execute you for these words against the queen. Did you know that when you decided to go against your queen?”

“Your highness, you're under her control. You should have never gone to Earth. It made you vulnerable to-”

“I am not the vulnerable one here,” Liam growled moving towards the man, his chair falling backwards. His hand wrapped around his throat.

“She'll be the end of us,” he croaked out. Liam threw him to the ground as Carson managed to stop him from ending the cult leader's life.

“Lock him up, I'll deal with him later,” Liam said shaking his hands out. The cult leader was gagged and removed from the room.

“The others?” Liam asked.

“They won't be a problem but we still have men keeping an eye on them.”

“They could set up meetings in VR, make sure they're tracked. I want two guards on him at all times, surveillance too.”

“Of course.”

“Good,” he said then left the room without another word.

When Liam entered the suite Kara was pacing back and forth. She stopped and looked at him her anger melting away when she saw his face.

“What's-” but Liam cut her off pulling her into his arms. He didn't say anything. He just stood there holding her. Kara didn't say anything more to Liam that night. On the balcony the table and chairs along with the hammock had been removed and replaced with a mattress covered with blankets and pillows. The curtains of the balcony were drawn closed but the area was lit from the lights. She thought about saying something to him with his arms around her but remained quiet. She woke in the night and noticed Liam was awake too.

“Liam, what happened earlier today?” she asked softly.

“I don't want to talk about it,” he said though she could tell by his face he'd been preoccupied with his thoughts about the day's events.

“Liam,” she said and before she could say anything else he kissed her.

“I don't want to talk, please Kara,” he said as he continued to kiss her removing her nightgown.

Liam didn't tell Kara what had happened when he left the garden. He talked about other things like budgeting and the end of summer festival. Kara listened while he talked wanting to ask about what had happened. She wanted to know what had happened during those hours he was gone. She couldn't ask Carson though she was sure he knew. So, she waited. She waited for him to tell her but after two weeks went by of him not saying anything she asked him.

“Liam, what happened that day after you left the garden?” she asked one morning.

“I don't want to discuss it,” he said.

“You've been distracted by it for the last two weeks. And the Ulodrins are only a problem because of me,” Kara said, “I want to know.”

“Did you go see Dr. Willdridge?” he asked evading her inquiry.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Have you?”

“No and I really don't-”

“We're both avoiding subjects we're uncomfortable with, then.”

“Alright, how about this. I go see her today and tonight at dinner you tell me what's been going on. Then we can figure out what to do next.”

“I don't want you involved-”

“I'm already involved Liam,” Kara said exasperated.

“Fine, go see her then we'll talk.”

Kara was sitting on the loveseat in the antechamber when Liam returned to their suite for the night. He was in higher spirits than he had been. He sat down next to her but she didn't say anything at first, her throat dry. Then she looked up at him not sure if she should be upset or happy at the news as it left her lips.

“I'm pregnant,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! What do you think of Kara's news? How do you think Liam will react? Let me know your thoughts! I do plan on writing M rated chapters though it will be a couple of weeks before I have any chapters up. Thanks so much for reading and I'll update soon! - K


	29. Simulation

“I'm not far along, less than a month,” Kara said before he could respond, “She knows that I wasn't pregnant when we went in five weeks ago.” Instinctively his hand touched her abdomen which was as flat as it had always been. Her blouse had been untucked so he had reached beneath it feeling her skin. Kara continued to tell him that Dr. Willdridge wanted her back in three weeks from now. Once they knew how far along she was for sure they could plan out nutrition, create a birth plan, and overall prepare for a healthy pregnancy and birth.

“She brought up the VR simulation,” Kara said, again before he could say anything, “I want you with me when I go in.”

“You want to go through the simulation?” he asked his smile falling from his face.

“I want to be prepared,” Kara said, “And Dr. Willdridge said it'd need to be soon.”

“If that's what you'll want, I'll accompany you,” he said making a mental note to clear a day in his schedule. He knew the doctor would want Kara to go through an eight hour simulation.

“So, what happened that day?” Kara asked. Though Liam knew they made this deal he was caught off guard. He wanted to share his initial excitement about the baby. But he gathered himself and told her in vague details about what had happened. And every day since he'd gone back to see the cult leader. He told Kara that after a week of interrogating him he beat him; breaking his nose and a few ribs. Carson had stepped in and pulled him back while he continued screaming at the man. The Ulodrins weren't meeting, at least not at the moment, the letters sent to higher ranking members had scared them. But while they were scared their leader was not. In fact, he'd found Liam's reactions confirmation that Kara had been controlling him.

Today, however, there had been a shift in his attitude. When Liam had gone to see him after a couple of days of avoiding visiting his cell he'd been different. His nose was swollen, the black eyes beginning to be easily spotted but he wasn't spouting his usual rigor moral. He was silent. When Liam spoke to him demanding more information, demanding that stop the tyraid against the queen he said nothing in response. Then near the end of the session he looked up at the king.

“I'll do whatever you want,” he said, “I won't say anything against the queen. I just want to go home.” He'd been broken. Liam didn't ask what had happened during the previous few days and he didn't want to know.

“If I find out you haven't been complying you will be executed,” he said, “Am I understood?” The man nodded letting out a weak yes.

“Good.” Then he left the room.

Kara had noticed the bruises on Liam's knuckles several days ago. She grabbed his hand looking closely now, knowing why he'd been so secretive.

“You won't always be able to protect me,” she said softly, “We've talked about it. And I don't-”

“I'm the king,” he said, “And your husband. Whether or not you like it, it is my job. Nothing will stop me from making sure no one in our kingdom is a threat to you. And sometimes protecting you means keeping things secret.”

“You don't have to keep something like this secret from me to protect me,” she said.

“You'd have wanted to talk to him,” he said.

“Yes,” Kara said, “I would have. But I would have been fine with observing.”

“That's not true,” he said, “You might have started out observing but we both know you'd have found your way into the room. He said you were punished by your Gods for using magic. Said you had me under your control. But what matters is he won't be a problem anymore.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, “You didn't-”

“No,” he said, “He's been released but if he as much utters a word against you, imprisonment is the least of his worries. I kept quiet because I didn't want him getting in your head.”

“Is that why you beat him? Because he got in yours?” she ran her fingers over his hand but he didn't answer. He'd flown into a blind rage. The man mentioned Kara still having her powers. That he was going to reveal her to everyone in Rifar. He was going to convince everyone their queen should be removed from the throne and everyone of her kind should be hunted down. Liam didn't know how much of what this man said was believed or known by his followers. He didn't know then if this piece of information had been shared. Carson had informed him early this morning that none of the followers had admitted to knowing anything about the queen that would be used to oust her off the throne. They only said they wouldn't be going after their leaders in any way.

“I just wanted to protect you,” he said and Kara heard his voice break. She didn't argue with him anymore. She wrapped her arms around him snuggling against him.

“I know,” she said resisting the urge to tell him he didn't need to, that she didn't want to be protected, she wanted to help protect. On Earth, she was the one often protecting her partner. She hated that it was flipped here, or that he thought it needed to be. Now, being pregnant, she feared he'd become overprotective.

Kara and Liam were in Dr. Willdridge's office three weeks later. When Kara was laying on the examination table. He ran his fingers across her abdomen, had he not been accustomed with her body he wouldn't have noticed the slight weight gain.

“You're five weeks along.” Kara was surprised at the level of their medical technology. From what she had learned from her friends, they didn't find out when they were pregnant until usually at least five weeks though they were usually farther along. But she'd found out at two. She asked Kara if she'd been experiencing any nausea, if she was more tired than usual. Kara nodded. Most mornings and afternoons she'd been heaving up her meals. Halisa had realized fairly quickly that Kara was expecting but the message sent to the staff was she had a stomach bug.

“Now would be a safe time for the simulation should you wish to utilize it,” Dr. Willdridge said. Kara felt Liam grab her arm. He didn't want her to go through the simulation. She told him that she wanted to be prepared. There wasn't something like this on Krypton and if there was on Earth she doubt many women would want to go through it. He said he couldn't blame them.

“You don't have anymore patients to see today?” Kara asked knowing that the doctor saw others in the castle.

“Right now you are the most important patient,” she said, “You are carrying the heir to the throne. I have it set up for you.” Kara nodded and she and Liam entered a smaller room. There was a large bed and Kara was surprised not to see a bathtub.

“I thought it was normal for a water birth,” Kara said.

“Yes, in the simulation you will be going through a water birth,” the doctor said, “But it's more comfortable for you and his highness to spend eight hours lying on a bed versus in a hard tub. You won't be in one the entire time when the time comes.” The simulation had its' limits. It wasn't suggested they be in VR for more than ten hours and though for most women, the first baby took around twelve to fifteen hours of labor, eight was all she wanted to put Kara through at most. She'd suggested four, possibly five but Kara had wanted to have the closest to realistic experience possible. Dr. Willdridge placed what looked like heart monitor patches on Kara's lower abdomen and back. Her and Liam lied down on the bed and he squeezed her hand moments after they placed in their contacts.

Kara was standing with the palace chef discussing the change of the menu to include the various alien plants from the other greenhouses. She closed her eyes shut and let out a slow breath. She looked down. She was back in her winter wear. A warm grey sweater and a navy blue floor length skirt. Her stomach was no longer flat. She was due soon, two weeks from now. She didn't know how she knew this but she did. She ran her hand along her belly as she felt the life inside of her.

“Your highness are you sure you don't want to lie down?” Halisa asked. Something told Kara she'd been experiencing this pain on and off all day. Kara shook her head and they continued to go about their day. She met with seamstresses who eagerly showed her the various newborn and baby clothes all in varying colors, patterns, and sizes. Several were for winter but there were some outfits for spring and summer. Joyce showed her the dark green colored gown the baby would be wearing when they were presented for the first time. Then she also showed her one that was light blue. She told her, it'd been sent from Argo, Kara noticed the small House of El crest embroidered on it in silver thread catching the light. After spending time with them, continuously ignoring the pains that were getting closer and closer together, she went to the library receiving a book she had recently ordered. She ran her fingers over the title that was embossed onto the cover. _The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh,_ with it was a note from Eliza. She had several other books to read to the baby on a bookshelf in their nursery but most of those were Rifarian, she wanted something from Earth. Though this child wasn't from Earth she wanted a piece of it in their life. When Kara and Halisa were about to leave to go outside for a walk in the gardens, despite the cold weather, she stopped at a banister gripping it hard letting out a groan Halisa again suggested going to lie down.

“Okay, maybe I should,” she said, “But it's early, you know that Halisa.” The pains were false labor. She'd had them earlier on in her pregnancy and grown used to them.

“I'm not suggesting otherwise,” Halisa said quickly. Kara lied down on the bed.

“This baby isn't supposed to come for another two weeks,” she said.

“Would you like me to get Dr. Willdridge just in case?”she asked. But Halisa hadn't needed to go get her because a guard already had. When one of them saw her clutch the banister and her abdomen along with letting out a groan of pain they left their post. She entered her and Liam's suite roughly twenty minutes later without so much of a knock.

“They're just false contractions,” Kara said, “That's all.”

“I'll be the judge of that,” she said, “How often have you been experiencing pain?”

“Not often just on and off. It's not that bad.”

“About every thirty minutes,” Halisa said, “Since this morning. But she was experiencing pain yesterday evening too.” Kara looked as if she was going to say something but only let out a moan of pain. Dr. Willdridge told Halisa she'd no longer be needed for the rest of the day dismissing her. She had Kara prop her legs up and she moved her skirt and undergarments so she easily see how Kara was progressing.

“You're in active labor, six centimeters along,” she said, “I would like to move you to the delivery room.” That wasn't possible. She'd have known. Her water would have broken. But it hadn't, so Kara was placed on the birthing bed for Dr. Willdridge to do this for her.

About thirty minutes later she sat in the birthing tub. She wore a bra that became easily unattached for breast feeding but nothing else. The tub had monitors built in to keep track of her pulse, her blood pressure, and the position of the baby. Liam burst into the room. He'd had an important meeting and wasn't informed until it was over.

“It's not a good excuse,” he said, “I know.” He changed into a pair of swim shorts and nestled himself behind Kara. He grabbed her hands and gave them a squeeze.

“How are you doing?”

“Pain's not too bad,” she said, she had felt worse. It wasn't as bad as kryptonite, she thought it would be, but it wasn't. She was uncomfortable but she'd managed worse pain, grateful for an absence of a green glow.

“How close are the contractions?” he asked. He ran his hand around her stomach and though Kara couldn't see his face his eyes were wider than usual. He'd had a hard time picturing her pregnant but not anymore.

“Five minutes,” Dr. Willdridge answer and checked the progress again, “We're moving along quite nicely. Shouldn't be more than a few hours now until you have that baby in your arms.” But several hours passed and Kara was progressing slowly which was said to be normal for first time mothers. Every now and then she left the tub. She would lie down on the bed or pace back and forth only to stop every minute or so letting out a groan. She sat in a cushioned chair meant to help but it didn't. After two and a half hours of near constant pain Kara was becoming tired. She wanted to push. And had she remembered this was a simulation she would have asked for it to end. She asked if she could push, said she needed to push.

“Not yet, Kara,” Dr. Willdridge, “You're still not ready. I'll let you know.” But it was still another two hours until she was given the go ahead. Kara felt the tears slide down her cheeks, the pain had become unbearable. She just wanted it to be over. For the pain to be gone. There was no green glow, no kryptonite, but it felt like there was. It wasn't like it was close maybe in another room but it was there, somewhere, being moved closer.

“You're doing great, Kara,” Liam said but Kara had barely registered his voice. He been talking the last two hours as well. They barely discussed baby names before now and he was doing so to help distract her. He asked about Kryptonian names, what her father's name was, or grandfather's. But Kara mentioned it wasn't usually custom on Krypton to name your child after their lineage.

“It hurts,” she said, “Please, please make it stop. Where's the kryptonite?”

“I can feel the head,” she heard, “One more push Kara.”

Then the room disappeared around her. She was laying on the bed next to Liam. Kara sat up, the pain fading away as if it was never there. Liam reached out touching her stomach which was back to what it had been in the morning.

“How are you feeling Kara?” Dr. Willdridge asked handing her a glass of water. She began to remove the patches.

“It felt like there was kryptonite in the room at the end.”

“What does kryptonite feel like?” she asked.

“t's like someone's lit your skin on fire and as it melts away every other cell is burning as well. But this wasn't that, not really, I don't know how to explain it.”

“This pain was only at the end?” she asked marking things down on a piece of paper.

“Yes,” Kara shook her head, “It's like the pain kept getting worse. Is it supposed to be like that?”

“The simulation is never one hundred percent accurate. Everyone's body reacts to pain differently. I had it set on a lower setting than what's used on students in school. While there was no chance of actual harm towards you or the baby it's just a precaution I wanted to take.”

“I was two weeks early,” Kara said still processing what she'd been through.

“It's a possibility,” she said, “that you'll deliver early but two weeks is still considered full term. While I can control the variants I chose for this to be random. You could deliver earlier than two weeks, past the week you're due, or on time. We'll be prepared for any time frame, don't worry. But for now your due date range isn't for another thirty-five weeks.” Kara did the math in her head. The baby would be here in mid winter, sometime in the tenth or eleventh month of the year. The doctors here didn't give actual specific dates on when the baby was born, Kara had learned, but ranges. She had found this strange too, since their technology and science was so far ahead of Earth's. Babies were't due on their specific date very often on this planet so the doctors found it was better to give a week range.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I thought about splitting this chapter in half and making the next chapter focused on the simulation since with it this chapter is over twice as long as the usual chapters I write. I chose to keep the length, so I hope the chapter wasn't too long. I know the idea of a VR birth simulation might be strange but I took the idea from youtubers trying a labor pain simulator. Since VR is something more present in the previous season of Supergirl I wanted to continue it in this story. Anyway, I rewrote this chapter probably a half a dozen times trying to get it right. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I have started responding to comments so if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer what I can without giving too much away. Thanks again! Usually I upload on or around Sunday but since I have a lot written I'll be updating more. Right now I plan to upload Thursday, then depending on how much more I have written, again on Sunday. - K


	30. VR meeting and Holo-Calls

Within the castle walls only Carson and Halisa knew of Kara's pregnancy, and Dr. Willdridge of course. Kara thought about calling and telling Alex but decided to wait until the twelve week mark which was still five weeks away. While she and Liam noticed the bump showing she was pregnant it wasn't noticeable beneath her clothing. She went about her usual business and even met up with Alex in VR. She explained what was going on with Brenham, that they were the reason they couldn't travel. She didn't mention it but if they hadn't visited by Kara's sixth month in pregnancy, her and Liam wouldn't be visiting Earth either.

Kara could see the difference in her sister in VR that she hadn't during their usual holo-calls. Her hair was longer and she had lost weight. It was now Kara's place to bug her about her health.

“It's been a difficult year without you here,” she said.

“I miss you too Alex,” she said feeling guilty. But she knew she had no other choice.

“Are you finally used to being queen?” Alex asked shifting the focus away from her.

“Everything is quieting down here,” Kara said knowing this wasn't completely true, not with her pregnancy. The western provinces were still working towards preparing to open in a sense. The pod homes would only be good for a few years so there was construction going on, building larger homes but it'd be a while until they could move in to those.

“How is it with Liam?” Alex asked.

“Good,” Kara said, “We're fine. How are things with Kelly?”

“She's been really busy with work. They've been doing damage control,” Alex said, “There's something wrong with the VR that they just noticed. Who knows how many people are gone because of it.”

“People are dying because of Andrea's VR tech?” Kara asked concerned that her sister was in the tech. Though the scientists had been able to merge the virtual realities, it'd required letting Andrea's VR to be utilized. It was not as advanced as the one created in Rifar and they'd been able to easily adapt the code to mirror Andrea's. The system wouldn't know or be able to track where Alex had been truly.

“There was a glitch,” she said, “People couldn't exit their simulation, began to forget they were in one. But it's been fixed.”

“That's how the simulations are here but they have an override. After ten hours you're automatically pulled out. And most people don't have access to it like everyone on Earth does.” Kara could see how real the reality was around them but she could spot was virtual. Her and her sister were in her apartment. Kara recognized all of her sister's furniture but she saw glitches in décor, and heard noises that weren't of National City.

“What do you mean?” Alex asked.

“VR lenses aren't sold here to the public like on Earth,” Kara said, “You can rent them out at a VR cafe, they're used for schooling and training, along with certain jobs but not as a means for entertainment in your home.”

“You're using them,” Alex pointed out.

“I don't use them all the time,” Kara said defensively, “I've only used them a few times.”

“What's their VR like? Since we're in Andrea's tech.”

“After moments of arriving in the world you forget you're it's not real,” Kara said recalling the recent simulation she went through.

“Kara, are you okay?” Alex asked noticing the change in her sister, her face going slightly green.

“I've been sick, lately,” she said, “I need to go.”

“Wait-” but Kara was already gone emptying her stomach in a bucket by the couch she'd been lying on. She could hardly go more than a few hours with vomiting.

Liam was there reading budget reports. He'd been spending more time with Kara during the day and was growing increasingly worried about her morning sickness. But Dr. Willdridge wouldn't treat her unless Kara herself came to her. She wanted to, if it was as bad as he said, but she couldn't properly treat her until she saw how bad it was herself. Liam set aside his papers and grabbed the wet cloth he had near him wiping around her mouth.

“Are you sure you don't want to see Dr. Willdridge?” he asked.

“Morning sickness is common in the first few months of pregnancy,” she said, “I'll be seeing her in a couple weeks anyway.”

“You've hardly been able to keep anything down. Why don't we go see her now?”

“I'm fine, this is normal,” she said taking slow sips of the carbonated drink she had on the coffee table in front of her. She laid back down resting her head in Liam's lap. He remembered the simulation and remembered seeing her in pain though she had shrugged it off. When he'd brought it up she only talked about kryptonite and she said even then she could still fight feeling its' effects.

“You don't have to be in pain,” he said, “We can go see her right now, and you can eat again.”

“I'm fine,” Kara snapped then more gently, “I'm tired, I'm going to rest before Halisa gets here. I have a holo-call scheduled with Janessa to see how she's doing.”

“How are you feeling your highness?” Halisa asked when she was brushing out Kara's hair.

“Fine, how's your sister?”

“Oh, well,” Halisa said, “They've told everyone now. And they know the sex, her husband was right. It's a girl. He wants to name her after his sister. She was a doctor in the war.” There was still no word on the prison camps. The soldiers had been communicating with Carson but they hadn't found any proof of camps that existed.

Kara sat in a chair in a private room she'd had set up. She didn't have to wait long for Janessa to show up. From what she had learned Janessa hadn't received any communication from her mother since she'd left.

Her hair was in a braided updo and she looked several years younger than her nineteen years. She was wearing worn jeans and a t-shirt. Kara noticed her feet which were covered in muddied boots.

“I've been out helping on the farms,” she said. Kara could hear the lightness in her voice.

“Are you happy with Lord Ayden?” Kara asked not one hundred percent sure if the call was private.

“I'm happier here than I was in Rifar,” she said possibly thinking of her last silent months in Rifar with her family then, “We read at night. An hour before we turn off the lights.”

“I'm glad,” Kara said know how much the girl cherished her books, “How do you like the people? You're working with them?” Janessa went on to explain in detail about the farms and the work. She said she finally felt like she was doing something worth while. There was no mention of her previous rebellious streak, as the media called it. Kara went on to ask about the books they were reading. Janessa said that when Ayden had learned of her love for books he'd requested the deliverance of not only books from Luxo but across the galaxy. He'd managed to get his hands on books from Earth just like Kara had managed to get her hands on a children's book in her simulation. She mentioned a book Kara had read in high school The Great Gatsby.

She remembered the final words of the novel, “So we beat on, boats against the current, _borne back ceaselessly_ into the past.” She remembered writing an essay focused on those words. She'd wanted to write that like Nick, she too was focused on the past. She wanted to return to her days on Krypton, to her days with her parents. But instead she wrote an essay about how America was also focused on the past but unlike Nick they glazed over their country's unsavory acts. The other students had written about symbolism. When Kara had received an A on the essay and a request to see the teacher on her good work she had fought back tears. She admitted to the teacher that she'd wanted to write an essay about how she was like Nick.

The teacher suggested keeping a journal, to focus her thoughts on paper. So Kara did, one completely written in her native language. Eliza had opened it one morning when Kara had accidentally left it on the kitchen table. She'd been up late and rushed out the door the next morning. Eliza had brought it up when she returned home. She of course couldn't understand any of it but it didn't stop her from asking. She'd been gentle when she asked if Kara wrote about Krypton. About her former home. Kara had responded yes though there was more to it than her writing being about Krypton. She didn't expand and Eliza didn't prompt her to.

But the newly married couple hadn't finished the book and Kara didn't say she had read the book. She was more curious as to how they attained the book. Through their librarians. That still didn't answer her questions. Maybe it was like how Rifar had footage of Kara as Supergirl. The conversation ended after several hours of talking and Kara was glad to see Janessa in good spirits. She was happier than Kara had been at this point in her marriage.

Kara wasn't able to keep down dinner though it wasn't a surprise. She'd only been having broth and bread along with some nutrition pills and a green drink but not even that managed to stay in her stomach. After another week she decided to go see Dr. Willdridge who was able to help her keep some food down. This was a good thing as early one morning both her and Liam were woken with the news that Brenham had sent a note, stating they'd be arriving on Nibiru in two days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll be uploading the next chapter Sunday and if I can keep writing like I have I'll maintain an upload schedule of Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. -K


	31. Luxo's Meeting with Brenham

Kara wore tighter fitting clothes during their meeting with Brenham. She had looked up the current fashions of Rifar, not of the previous queens or even current nobility, and and the clothing that was more popular were similar to what she had begun to wear more often on Earth. Esla had chosen against it as she saw it unladylike so the ladies of Rifar had followed suit and because Kara hadn't changed they hadn't either. Kara had only worn her previous outfits because those were the clothes available to her when she'd first arrived months ago.

Kara looked like a lady belonging to Rifar, one who had completely acclimated. She had removed her necklace and suggested Liam remove his pin. “What if they ask where you're from?” he had asked. Though she doubted they'd care about the spouses of the leaders. “You can say I was a Kryptonian immigrant living on Earth. But I'm not from a notable family. That crest means something beyond Earth and if they can place it, it'll put my cousin and the rest of Earth in danger.”

“They won't be going after Earth,” he said.

“I'd rather not risk their notice,” she said.

Now they sat with the other leaders of Rifar in a sitting in the Luxo castle. Every leader and their spouse was there. The queen of Luxo spoke softly with Kara.

“I wanted to apologize for your last visit,” she said.

“What do you need to apologize for?”

“You are a young queen, a new queen,” she said, “I'm sure you already have enough pressure from everyone in your kingdom to produce an heir. I should not have added to it by assuming.”

“On Earth, it was common for newly married couples to be questioned,” Kara said, “I know the expectations. Many couples end up pregnant within their first year of marriage on Earth.”

“Nonetheless it doesn't excuse my behavior,” she said.

“Then I forgive you,” Kara said then switched topics, “I've kept in contact with Janessa. She is happy here in Luxo.”

“Yes, I've heard. I'm sure her mother didn't approve of the union however. I was quite hesitant myself. I saw the headlines. Ayden has been fortunate to maintain a clean image.”

“Has the marriage been problematic? Do they people not like her?”

“No, no, not at all, quite the contrary. The people of his territory enjoy her presence. Perhaps Luxo was meant to be her place rather than Rifar.” Before Kara could say anything it was announced that Brenham was there. King Aylard and his wife left for their throne room where they'd be meeting the dictator of Brenham. Everyone else would remain in the sitting room waiting. It'd been decided they'd be joining them, possibly at dinner. It was unknown if Brenham only wanted to visit with the king and queen of Luxo or the other leaders. Their note had been thin. It was argued whether anyone should be at the castle at all. It's not safe to arrange all the leaders in once place. Which was why they'd chosen a holo-call. Liam and Kara were close to the Luxo border should Brenham request a presence with them. It was unknown where the other leaders were however.

Kara joined another queen in discussing possibly opening the borders for travel. Most of the countries it seemed had closed their borders within the past decade. She had discussed opening the borders over dinner one night but Liam was still wary about the Ulodrins. They hadn't made any movement but they couldn't track them outside the country. She didn't mention this as to why the borders wouldn't be opening any time soon. Eventually Kara sat with Liam where she felt most comfortable in the room.

“Do you think we'll hear anything soon?” she asked.

“I don't know,” he said, “How are you feeling?”

“Ready for this to be over,” she said but he opened his mouth to say more.

“If I wasn't feeling well, I wouldn't be here. Stop worrying so much.” She was only seven weeks along, what would he be like thirty weeks from now? They leaders sat and waited and heard nothing. Several had to leave for reasons they did not share. Eventually it was just Kara and Liam sitting in silence. Finally King Aylard returned to the room. Kara had fallen asleep and Liam gently shook her awake.

“So, what happened? Why did they come?”

“They wanted to form a stronger bond,” he said, “Only wanted to meet with us for now.” Most of the time they had spent together had been small talk. About how their countries, or planets rather, were doing. No one had touched on the topic of alliances or taking over the galaxy. Kara wasn't sure why they would have but it'd be nice to have a little heads up. The leader of Brenham wasn't Lex Luthor though this was how she'd grown to picture him.

“She wasn't like I pictured her,” Aylard said.

“The leader of Brenham is a woman?” Liam asked, Kara thought she'd be annoyed by this comment but he'd only seem men as harsh leaders. There were women leaders on the council but they were not feared like Brenham was.

“I was surprised as well but she said that she was the first born of the last king. The children of the leader fight for their place on the throne. They train for it all their lives. She won. She fought for her birthright.” Kara thought about the ancient Egyptian kings and queens who were known for killing their siblings for a place on their throne.

“That was unsettling,” Kara said once the call was over and they were back in their room. They were staying at a manor house that hadn't been destroyed in Algaria. They hadn't felt like they learned anything. They were still in the dark. Liam was still hesitant to travel off planet and Kara agreed. They could wait a few weeks, even months until they were more comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I'll be uploading again Tuesday! And for those who've been reading Be Spontaneous, I recently updated that story, which will be coming to an end soon. This story, however, has a while to go. Please, let me know your thoughts and I'll see you again Tuesday! - K


	32. Nursery

Kara told Alex of the meeting with the leader of Brenham.

“So they really only have one leader?”

“She's the head of many leaders. They carry out her orders,” Kara explained. They were organized in a way Liam and Kara feared. They had multiple colonies off planet, with leaders who carried out the dictator's orders without question. But they did not know of Earth, did not know of the alliances at all, yet. 

“You look really tired,” Alex said, “Are you staying up stressing about them?”

“No,” Kara said, “I'm on this anti-nausea medication and one of the side effects is fatigue.”

“What are you taking anti-nausea medication for?” Alex asked. Crap.

“The traveling back and forth makes me sick,” Kara finally said.

“You should speak to your doctor about finding different medication or better yet not travel.”

“I can't avoid traveling,” Kara said. Then Alex was called away. Kara had stopped asking Alex about any threats she faced on Earth, stopped asking about Lex even. She called her once a week but the conversations were getting shorter and shorter.

Kara did take Alex's advice of asking Dr. Willdridge for new medication. She had to wait four days after stopping the medication to start taking something new. During this time she had Kara on a IV drip to not only stay hydrated but to keep her nutrition up. She was just over two months pregnant now but instead of gaining weight she was losing. Kara stayed in the suite during this time so not to have to carry a pole with her everywhere and garner looks and questions. Liam refused to leave her side despite her protestations.

After starting the new medication she was careful with what she was choosing to eat and was happy to see a bowl of fruit from the Earth greenhouse. She thought about bringing up going to the greenhouse with Dr. Willdridge but decided against it. She wasn't as tired on the new medication as before but she noticed there was still morning sickness. She was able to keep food down and had been told to eat more to gain the weight back that she had lost. Her meals and snacks came to the suite, pre-approved by Dr. Willdridge. She still became sick at least twice a day but it wasn't to the extent it had been.

Kara was shown what room would be the nursery. It was directly next to their suite. The walls were white and the furniture in the room was covered in dust covered sheets. She was confused then remembered that this was an infant's room. There hadn't been one of those in the castle for nine years. She pulled the sheet off each piece of furniture one by one. Revealing a crib, a changing station, a bookshelf full of books, a rocking chair, an armchair, and a rocking horse, except it wasn't a horse but an animal native to Rifar. Kara ran her hands over the crib then placed them over her abdomen.

The baby wouldn't sleep in this crib right away. They'd sleep in a bassinet in their suite, next to her and Liam's bed. Because minimal people knew about her pregnancy, the bassinet was still in storage and Kara hadn't asked to see it. When Kara was offered to be shown the nursery she had nodded not saying anything. The guard who had asked her she was sure didn't know. Maybe Liam had said something about showing her the rooms in the family wing, not because they were filling them anytime soon but because they would eventually be filled. She knew six bedrooms besides the master suite had been occupied while Thom and Esla were here. But there were ten bedrooms plus two nurseries. She wondered if they had been filled once with noisy Rifarian royal children. She wondered how many her and Liam would fill. And for the first time since being here she questioned if she wanted them filled. She knew it was her duty as queen to bare Liam's children. She knew it would help him stay on the throne, if their powers were accepted, and she knew it would also help Earth. When Alex had balked at the idea of her having children with Liam, Kara had admitted to herself that she didn't want to have kids with a man she didn't know. Liam had been a stranger then. He wasn't one anymore. But when she had first been told she was pregnant she hadn't felt joy or relief. Liam had a smile on his face.

Kara opened the curtains letting in the early afternoon light. The glass windows overlooked the gardens though unlike her and Liam's suite there was no balcony. With the windows uncovered the room felt more open but as Kara sat in the rocking chair she couldn't help but feel trapped. She heard her sister in her head, “Kara you can't actually be considering having children with this man! … Do you think having a child with Liam will make it easier to fit in?” Then Liam's words echoed in her head, “And getting pregnant in our first year of marriage is what's best for you?... I'm plenty busy with everything else. Do we really want to add a child to it? I know I don't. I'm not ready. Are you?” She was pregnant within their first year of being a couple. She remembered the poll, the one she laughed at but knew, like Liam, it was an inevitability. She'd been here seven months now and in another seven months she'd have their baby in her arms. He'd thrown those words at her when he'd told her she could return to Earth, it took everything in her not to say yes. Now Earth was slipping farther and farther away with each shortened phone call to Alex. Now there'd be no possibility of her ever returning to Earth, of her being Supergirl again. Even if Brenham stopped being a threat, which wasn't likely, she was carrying the heir to the throne of Rifar. She closed her eyes trying to shut out the voices rocking back and forth.

“I can see you holding our baby there,” she jumped then heard, “Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.”

“Is it time for dinner?” she asked as Liam pulled the armchair next to her.

“No,” he said sitting down. She tried to picture a baby in her arms, rocking with on back and forth but she couldn't.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked after Kara didn't say anything for a while. She looked out the window not knowing what to say.

“Kara, is something wrong?” he asked grabbing her hand.

“No, just tired is all,” she finally said. They'd rushed into this, despite not meaning too. There could have been contraceptives they could have used. But she didn't voice these thoughts that were founded in fear. “Do we really want to add a child to it? I know I don't. I'm not ready. Are you?” She had replied, “Is this not what is asked of us?” She looked at Liam. He was happy when he learned she was pregnant. Recently, however, he'd seem to always have a look of concern on his face.

He'd been constantly worrying about her since the simulation. There'd been concern from Dr. Willdridge, when Kara started losing weight, that she'd lose the baby, but he'd been more concerned about her. He saw the toll pregnancy had on Esla and Kara already looked worn down and she still had nearly seven months to go. She'd grown quieter right when he felt like they were finally getting somewhere. But he was afraid to say anything. He didn't want her to retreat into herself. But he couldn't stand the silence.

“Kara, what is it really?” he asked.

“What color should we paint this room?” she asked and he wondered if he would ever know the problem, ever know what troubled her.

“What color do you want?” he asked with a smile.

“Green,” she said after a moment.

“Rifar will be covered in white when they arrive. They deserve a color of spring, of summer,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Please leave your thoughts and I'll update Thursday. - K


	33. The Bracelet

At eleven weeks Kara was finally starting to show. She heard the whispers of some staff though when they caught her looking at them they fell silent. She had an ultrasound with Dr. Willdridge. Liam pointed at the baby's head on the screen making a comment about how it had her nose. She ran some tests and suggested they wait to announce anything to the public until the results came back. Kara wasn't in a rush to tell anyone, not even Alex. She knew that her sister had been holding onto some hope of her returning after they dealt with Brenham. And she knew telling her would show her that her sister could never return to Earth as Kara Danvers.

After dinner while they were watching some movie on the television Liam brought up Kara being so quiet.

“I'm just tired,” she said.

“You're quiet and you're withdrawing,” he said. Kara didn't say anything to this. She picked at the soft green paint beneath her fingernails.

“Is this about your powers? Are you worried about how the people will react to our children having powers? We still have time, we-” Kara hadn't been worried. She'd forgotten about her powers. That their children could have some. When she found out she was pregnant all she could think about was if she was ready, if they hadn't rushed into this. Now she was thinking about it. Now there was no time left. Her fingers stopped and it felt like she'd been thrown to the ground, landing on her back, the breath knocked from her lungs. They didn't have time because it'd be easily noticed that she was pregnant now.

“But we don't! Brenham is probably watching us, so there will never be a good time. What if the baby has powers when it arrives? Dr. Willdridge won't say anything but what about when we present them to the public?”

“We have roughly six months until the baby is here, maybe another month until we announce I'm expecting,” Kara said beginning to panic, “What if they don't... oh Rao... oh Rao.”

“The people will not disavow our children. They can have whatever thoughts they want but it's our children's blood right to inherit the throne.”

“But what if Esla uses their fear-”

“She won't,” he said and he got up, went to the corner desk and in it's drawer he pulled out a small gold bracelet. It was for an infant. There was a red gem surrounded by a gold chain. The red sun. Kara could feel it's affects, what little power she had disappearing just like when she visited Argo.

“Until you're ready to show the people your powers and announce that our children's chance.”

“I don't-”

“It won't be forever. Just until the people know and until the child learns to control their powers. We don't want them accidentally setting the curtains afire when they're two years old throwing a tantrum.” Kara held the bracelet in her hand then held it up to the light. Etched into the stone in gold was the House of El crest.

“How will we know when their powers manifest if they wear this?” she asked.

“We won't,” he said, “I figured they could wear this in public until they control any powers they might have. If we don't tell the people by then that is.” She'd forgotten, for nearly three months she'd forgotten. Even when he brought up catching the Ulodrin leader she'd let herself believe the fear of someone different was gone. And she didn't want to think about their baby having an of her powers. She clutched the bracelet in her hand.

“I would have worn one of these on Earth as a kid. Wouldn't have been given a choice. Eliza would've said it'd help me be normal, help me blend in, help me be human. Because it wasn't safe to be anything else.”

“I'm not saying we hide our child's Kryptonian side. But unless you plan on telling the people about your powers anytime soon, which with our issues with Brenham, I suggest you don't, this bracelet will give us more time.”

“What if the people feel like we've tricked them? That I've tricked them? You think the Ulodrins will remain silent?”

“They are no longer a threat. They know if they publicly utter any type of threat against us what will happen. And I think the people will be too excited about an heir to think about anything else. A royal child is a good thing, a hopeful thing.” She found it odd that someone else's child would give someone hope. It felt like something out of fiction, some type of symbolism taught in high school English classes. Spring meant birth, life. While winter meant death just when the baby was due unless it was seriously late or early.

She placed the bracelet on the end table and tried not to look at it. Liam was just trying to protect her and their baby. He meant no harm having it made. She thought about what it'd be like on Earth if she'd worn something similar. The difference was she knew about her powers before she even landed on Earth. The bracelet would have shackled her to living as a human like a pair of bars kept a prisoner hidden away from society. She couldn't keep her child's powers a secret from them and Liam wasn't suggesting they did. She wondered, if like she did, they'd want to protect people. As future king, if they had a boy, they might see the powers as an extra way to protect the people of Rifar. But they would be forbidden to do so. They weren't indestructible like Kara had been on Earth. If they found their way into the Earth greenhouse and soaked up the yellow sun there was no telling what could happen. They'd be blocked off from certain aspects of the castle.

And she hated it. Hated restricting them like she had been. And they weren't even here, they were no where near being big enough to talk, to walk, to fly. And she was already thinking about the problems of having a half- Kryptonian child beneath a yellow sun. The bracelet would keep them safe. It'd restrict them, limit them. But they'd be safe as long as the people didn't know. She had hoped at least with leaving Earth she'd no longer have to keep things secret. She saw the damage it had done keeping her secret from Lena. But her only friend here, Halisa, who was paid essentially to be her friend, knew her secret and kept it.

“I didn't mean to upset you with the bracelet,” Liam set, “I just want-”

“I know, you just want them to be safe,” Kara snapped, “Sorry. I would have hated wearing this on Earth. I saw my cousin who could save all these people and I was forbidden to use my powers. I was supposed to blend in, pretend to be human for years, while Clark was able to show he was from Krypton.”

“You had to hide your Kryptonian heritage.”

“It felt like I was being told to forget about Krypton. That Earth was my home and it always had been, because it had for Kara Danvers. Kara Danvers was human, an average student, an assistant to a CEO. She was normal, couldn't spot her in a crowd if you tried. And when I became Supergirl I wasn't normal anymore, I was everything I wasn't allowed to be, I was finally myself, finally Kara Zor-El after so long of locking her away, I was finally free.”

“And I took that freedom from you,” he said.

“No!” Kara exclaimed, “You helped give Earth the freedom to be safe. You had your freedom taken from you. You became a king.” Liam became quiet not thinking about how becoming king had stripped him of his freedom. Then he began to tell Kara about when he learned he was going to be king.


	34. Becoming King

“When my brother died, I was one of the first informed. I was sitting around a fire with other soldiers enjoying a quiet evening. We were laughing, goofing around. It was like the war didn't exist, like we hadn't lost several members of our unit a week prior. I was brought into a tent and was told that Thom had died in battle. They suspected that Luxo didn't know and Esla was being informed at the very moment, being woken in the middle of the night. I didn't know what to think at first. Didn't know how to feel. I wasn't necessarily close with him, we had different mothers, were sixteen years apart. He enjoyed the thrill of war, I only saw the soldiers and their families left destroyed by it. I didn't have anytime to process anything when one of Thom's old advisors told me I would be crowned as king since Thom had no sons. When I was traveling to the castle my camp was attacked. There were no survivors, I was fortunate enough to have said goodbye to them and I wish I had just brought them with me,” Liam stopped taking a slight breath as if he wanted to say more about the soldiers but continued on, “I knew Luxo wouldn't admit to attacking the camp knowing the new king of Rifar was there and I used that to my advantage. We had more firepower than them but my brother didn't live to see the newest tech. I told King Aylard that the war would end by morning. There'd be no surrender from either side, it'd be a mutual agreement. He had tried arguing, not wanting to relent when he blamed Rifar for the deaths of so many of his people. I said that if he didn't want to go peacefully that just like they tried to kill the heir to the throne of Rifar, we'd do the same but we'd succeed. He relented and at dawn the next day the war was officially over. A week later I was king. I was no longer a soldier serving under the crown, I was the crown. I didn't have time to process the change. My father had never prepared me to be king. That was my brother's place and then was to be his son's.”

Kara didn't know how to respond. Liam had been quiet when it came to his past, whereas she felt free in sharing what it was like growing up on Earth, on Krypton because she hadn't allowed herself to do so with many. He wasn't sharing what his life had been like during the war, maybe because he didn't want to face it, but how he ended the war. How he wasn't ready to be king.

“I'm still learning, just like you are to be queen and you didn't have the upbringing of our customs, of what it means to be a member of the royal family. You've done better than I would have, then I did when I started out. My first month of being king was a deluge of information. I remember requesting I write the letters of my soldiers who died at the camp, though I was discouraged of delivering them. I did eventually meet with their families. Met with their husbands and wives and children and parents. It's how I met Dr. Willdridge or rather her siblings, her nephew was in the camp with me. One family thanked me for ending the war because it meant their youngest son, who was meant to be drafted in a matter of weeks, wouldn't be going to the western border. Time passed and I finally felt like I was getting used to being the leader of my country then the scout came back. With news of you.”

He'd never told Kara the full story of when he'd learned about her. He mentioned he had argued leaving her on Earth, mentioned watching the footage of her as Supergirl, and finding the law that would eventually return her to her planet. Kara forgot about the bracelet if only for the moment.

“I was in the middle of talking to Carson. We were joking about something. The scout, someone who helped keep track of our alliances and checked on other planets- they found me and started talking really fast. Mentioned the former Earl. Krypton. Argo. Earth. All in one breath. I then pulled him into my office and had him tell what he'd found out again. The Zor-El girl was alive. She had survived her planet's death and was currently living on a planet called Earth. I was in the middle of preparing for my wedding to Yarina. I went to speak with the council. They stated I had to honor the agreement unless you were otherwise in another marriage. King Aylard was less than thrilled but we couldn't risk garnering attraction from Brenham. Not long after, the media found out, we don't know if it was from a source within the castle or from King Aylard. That's when I learned you were Supergirl. I studied the videos and went back to the council. Again they said I had to travel to Earth and bring you back. I kept arguing. When the council wouldn't agree that's when I went to the library and poured threw the law books. I don't know how I stumbled upon it. I didn't have much time to do any thorough research because I had to leave.”

“You came to Earth,” Kara said.

“We stopped at Argo first,” he said, “Met your mother. She was not happy to see my ship. See my family crest. I explained to her about my brother and the council's decision. She told me to go back home. Krypton was no more and Argo was of no threat to Brenham. But I brought up Earth, brought up protecting it, just like you did. I didn't even have to suggest it to you.”

“Yay for me knowing the threat of Brenham,” Kara said dryly.

“She tried to tell me that Earth was no threat either. That the humans have barely even learned how to leave their planet. I told her I had watched the video footage on my journey, saw the other superheroes. If Earth wasn't on Brenham's radar they would be soon. A marriage was the classic alliance and one already agreed upon. She began to argue that you were only twelve when you agreed, in Earth and Nibiru terms: a minor. She tried so hard to get me to go back home. You experienced that when we went to Argo.”

“Maybe instead of going to Earth we visit Argo. I can tell Alex to meet us there. We won't draw attention from Brenham. It might make sure Earth isn't on their radar.”

“We could go fairly soon, maybe by the end of the month,” he said.

“When we get back we can announce my pregnancy,” Kara said. When they were laying in bed that night she remembered something she hadn't thought about recently.

“Have you heard anything about the camps in Luxo? Anything about Halisa's brother?”

“I meant to tell you at dinner. Two camps were found and liberated. They'll be home tomorrow. We just heard about it last night. There's four hundred soldiers. Just in time for the end of summer festival.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll try to upload Tuesday but I've fallen behind in my writing. Most likely once I publish chapter 40 I'll be taking a short hiatus. I know that because of Hollywood still being shut down we don't know when Supergirl will be back to filming but I've read it won't begin airing again until next summer, that fanfics are how we can enjoy the show beyond rewatchs. But I'll let you know when I'm taking a break. I have several other stories I'm working on, much shorter ones than this. Let me know your thoughts on Kara's life on Nibiru! - K


	35. Thank you for your Service

Liam left early in the morning to greet the soldiers as they were brought into Eastloch. Someone had tipped the media off and he went to go send someone to deal with the cameras. The soldiers deserved privacy when they were settled in the local hospital. Before Kara could say anything Halisa brought it up. She was full of nervous energy asking if her brother was among them. Asking where they'd been found. If the king of Luxo would pay for what he'd done. Kara could only answer the last question.

“There's peace between our two countries now. His highness doesn't want to start another fight. There a more important things right now and all the countries need to work together.”

“What could be more important than keeping soldiers prisoners of war?”

“There is classified information I can't discuss with you,” Kara said and when Halisa tried to argue, “Halisa, drop it. Now, we have a full schedule for the day.” She stood up and saw her growing belly in the mirror. At the end of next week she'd be officially three months pregnant. At the point where they could tell everyone but she wanted to tell her mother and sister first. Kara was wearing a dress and it didn't really hide her bump.

“I want to wear something else,” she said and Halisa nodded mutely as she entered Kara's closet. She was changed into a dress with an empire waist. It didn't hide the bump from the side but she could ask guards to surround her, to shield her from the press. No one would ask questions.

An hour later Kara entered the hospital with Halisa at her side. Kara received looks from a handful of staff and people in the waiting room. She didn't give any of them second glances as they were guided to a private floor. She spotted Carson at a desk speaking with a soldier who was up on his feet.

“Your highness,” he said bowing his head. The soldier swiftly did the same and stepped away.

“I need you to look up a name for me,” she said, “Give me his room number.” Halisa was standing back peeking into a room here and there, trying to spot her brother. Kara took the slip of paper and grabbed her lady-in-waiting walking with her down the hall.

Halisa's brother was in a shared room. One man sat in a wheelchair and had the curtains been open he'd be looking out the window. The other was laying on a bed hooked up to various machines. He was missing an arm. Halisa looked at him and shook her head, this wasn't her brother. She turned towards the man in the wheelchair.

“Brigan?” she asked cautiously. Her voice was so quiet Kara had to strain to hear it. The man wheeled his chair around. One leg was in a brace, healing, an arm in a sling and he had white bandages wrapped around his face covering his eyes.

“Halisa,” he said smiling, “I'd recognize that voice anywhere.” Halisa let out a gasp and started to sob.

“Stop, stop,” he said, “I'm alright. Just a little sensitive to light right now.” He wheeled to where the two stood the wheelchair stopping just before it ran over Halisa's toes. He reached out his hand which his sister took. This only seemed to make her sob harder.

“Officer Brigan,” Kara said, “On behalf of my husband, King Liam of Rifar, I'd like to thank you for your service.”

“So you're the new queen,” he said, “Queen Kara? You're from Krypton right?”

“Yes,” she said, “Your sister is my lady-in-waiting. She works at the castle right here in Eastloch.”

“Since she's too busy crying and I can't really see, maybe you can tell me, is her face still covered in pimples?” This caused Halisa to stop crying.

“Brigan!” she shrieked. Her brother started to laugh. She placed her hand on Halisa's shoulder and excused herself.   
Kara stepped out of the room and went searching for Liam. She joined him in greeting various patients, in thanking them for their service. Some asked if they'd be going to war with Luxo again. Liam responded that there was peace between them now and that no more lives needed to be risked for a war that shouldn't have started in the first place. Kara could tell many weren't content with the answer but none tried to argue against their king.

Liam and Kara returned to the palace. Halisa had chosen to stay with her brother then return home with him while they went to Argo.

“Will the doctors be able to heal Brigan?” Kara asked Liam.

“He'll walk again, gain use of his left arm, but I don't know about his sight. He may chose not to go through with the surgeries that could heal his eyes. They require him to be awake; he'll hear everything being done to him. We're still learning what happened in the camps, if the soldiers were tortured. We know they were at the beginning but we don't know about what happened once the war ended.”

“Why did King Aylard keep them?” Kara asked, “Why deny the existence of the camps?”

“Maybe it was a way to get back at Thom, at Rifar, at the country that killed one of his sons, a son-in-law, and so many of his people. More land was destroyed in Luxo than Rifar. Letting our people go admitted defeat. It was Rifar who started the war, perhaps he wanted to be the one who ended it, not me.”

“It's been nearly ten months since the end of the war. Almost a year,” Kara said, “I know you don't want to confront Luxo, not with the threat of Brenham, but you know people will want retribution for their actions.”

“I won't risk starting another war,” he said.

“The people will want justice. Especially if there are soldiers who die in that hospital. They might start it for you.”

“No, I'll find a way it calm them down. Convince them otherwise.”

“How?”

“I don't know!” he yelled, “I'll figure it out if it comes to it. I'm done with war.”

“Okay,” Kara responded. She couldn't reason with him now. She could try later but she had a feeling he'd just dodge the conversation. For now, she switched topics.

“How early are we leaving? For Argo?”

“Before dawn. It'll be a few days before we reach Argo,” he said, “You'll have to let your sister know it'll be another few more days, maybe a couple of weeks until we visit. Right now these soldiers are top priority.” Kara nodded. She wondered how they'd react to hearing there'd be no retribution to what happened to them.

When Halisa was helping get Kara ready in the morning she was quiet.

“Did you speak with your parents?” Kara asked.

“Yes, they're excited for Brigan to come home. They're currently on a monorail on it's way here.”

“Do they know?”

“Yes,” she said and became quiet again.

“He seemed in good spirits yesterday,” Kara said but Halisa didn't say anything, “Take the afternoon off. I don't need you today, go spend time with your family.” She dismissed the woman. She let her curls fall today, not doing anything differently. She looked at the list of what she needed to do before leaving tomorrow and wanted to crumple up the paper. There was so much that had to be done. She thought she'd been ahead of things but she had recently switched medications, again, which set her back a few days. She'd been getting some pretty terrible headaches and though they were gone she wasn't sure if it was worth it for a the few days of constant vomiting. She hoped there wouldn't be anymore unwelcoming side effects while they were on their trip to Argo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not uploading much last week! I was busy with a family thing. Thanks for reading and I'll upload Thursday, then Sunday.


	36. Summer Festival

Kara saw several of the POW soldiers attending the festival. She walked with Liam, crowds flanking them on each side cheering. There were booths serving food from various restaurants around Eastloch. She saw children playing games. Liam pictured their child playing at these games that he had missing doing so growing up, having being kept from most of the people while he trained. Kara hadn't gone to any county fairs on Earth but she guessed they were like this.

A handful of people in the crowd came up to Kara. Some questioned her time as Supergirl, one even being so bold to ask if she'd ever fly around on Nibiru like she did on Earth. A few women, many on the older side, asked about when the kingdom could expect a child. She had smiled sheepishly at this , looked at Liam then at the ground. The women only laughed at this response.

Kara saw several of the pod homes set up. Along with the homes was information about when the western provinces would be opening, many business owners and teachers available for questions. Though she'd hope for the west to be ready by now as the school year would be starting at the end of the next month, she knew the people deserved lives that were safe to return to.

Half the day was over when Kara spotted a face she recognized. She was standing next to her husband and behind them stood several men in black suits. Janessa was smiling eating a food item similar to cotton candy that was orange in color. She then laughed at something Ayden said. Several people in the crowd recognized her too. She had so publicly spoken out against her father before his death. Now here she stood, married to someone from Luxo, the country her father had attacked.

News of their wedding had been a popular subject to discuss when it was announced. People knew it was, of course, for diplomatic reasons. The king needed to further solidify the peace. That didn't stop gossipy talk show hosts to wonder if one of the reasons Janessa had spoken out against the war was because she was in love with someone on the other side. Was Ayden this man who'd stolen her heart? Was their union more than a treaty? The pair did look comfortable together, happy even. They looked like a normal couple whereas her and Liam, due to their titles and their still growing relationship, appeared regal and though she held his arm, their happiness didn't look like the younger couple's in front of them.

Kara broke away from Liam and went to greet Janessa. She hugged the young woman. Her hair had been cut short, drastically different then what it'd been when Kara last spoke with her. She talked to Kara about all the books she'd read since finishing The Great Gatsby.

“My daughter will not be foolish,” she said.

“Are you...?” Kara asked. The wedding had only been a few months ago, near the end of spring.

“Oh! No!” she exclaimed, “Ayden and I are waiting until the farming season is over for... well, there is no rush.”

“I'm glad you are happy with him, happy in Luxo,” Kara said. Janessa's personality had done a complete one eighty. She was no longer tense, no longer quiet.

“When I spoke of missing the festival to Ayden he suggested we attend,” she said.

“Will you be visiting your mother while you're in Rifar?” Kara asked gently.

“We leave to see her tonight, should she have us,” she said.

“She didn't know you were coming?”

“She's refused all communication attempts,” Janessa said, “As have most of my sisters. The only one I've spoken to is Irene and even then... The baby was born, so she's been quite busy.”

“I'm sorry, you've been so... isolated,” Kara said.

“Of the two of us I'm not the one isolated,” Janessa said then swiftly apologized.

“You didn't chose your isolation,” Kara said and though she was surrounded by people and near a friend she still felt alone. Halisa felt like a paid friend and Liam was a husband she'd been arranged to. She was unsure if, despite their current friendship, it'd be more like her mother suggested months ago.

“Is there no chance you can be Supergirl on Nibiru like on Earth?” Janessa asked.

“My role is different here,” Kara answered.

“But you had more than one role on Earth,” Janessa pushed, “Do you not want to help people here as you did on Earth?”

“I can help people as queen,” Kara said though she knew what she set out to do, opening the provinces in the west and the possibility of the greenhouse project was something that could be delegated to groups of other people. On Earth, for so long, the only job of a queen was to give the king a male heir. It was Liam's job to approve bills, create laws and help protect the people, protect his country. Could that not be her place too? Were her last acts to protect Earth were to leave it and bare a king's child to truly prevent Brenham from attacking her further home, to start a war with Nibiru?

“My mother was content to stand by my father's side,” Janessa said, “But I thought you were different.”

“There were choices I made before I became queen and ones since then that you cannot understand,” Kara said, “Choices I made to protect Earth and my family. I do not need to justify my decisions to you.”

“I'm sorry, my majesty, I did not mean to speak out of turn,” Janessa said.

“You will learn some choices are not easy, not simple,” she said, “It's one thing to speak out against a war but preventing one is different.”

Kara lay on her back the night listening to Liam sleep. They'd chosen to sleep on the balcony that night. When they returned from Argo, the fall weather could make it too cold to enjoy their bed out here. She thought about her afternoon with Janessa and wondered if Esla would welcome them into her home tomorrow morning. Every action Janessa made was about her life with Ayden and about the people of their land. Every action Kara made was about the whole of Rifar. But it was also about protecting Earth and Argo. Though she was no longer Supergirl she was still preventing a war. She wondered if the baby growing inside her would help. If it would put it off indefinitely or only a few years. Mxy had shown future after future of them losing to Brenham. Was this the safest path? Or would she be sending her children to safety like she had with her and William's when the time came? Would they have decades of a cold war or months? Had this choice she'd made, and the ones she made since, make a difference? Would they save her sister? Protect her mother? Would she end up a Brenham soldier? Would this child she carried pay a price because she had made the wrong choices?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading this new chapter! I'll update on Sunday. Kara will be arriving on Argo!


	37. Big News

Kara barely had her feet on the ground before her sister's arms were around her. Alex had watched the ship land, waiting with her mother, Kelly and Alura, and ran to greet Kara. For her, it'd been almost a year and a half since she left Earth. One filled with hardship she would never share with her sister. She wanted to protect her, from her grief, from her pain, from the loss she had left her and everyone else on Earth with. She'd given her choice information. She didn't want to let go of her sister now that she was in her arms again but she did, letting Alura take her place. She'd grown to know Alura over the past year but she couldn't bring herself to ask what it was like seeing Kara again after all that time, then letting her go, twice.

Alura said something to her daughter in their native tongue. She touched her cheek after pulling away. Alex could see Kara not wanting to pull away. Her body was tense and she wondered what her sister was worried about. Kara looked at Liam not saying anything. He only nodded. Kara seemed to relax at this and her grip on Alura loosened.

“No one from Brenham has visited Argo,” Alura finally said. That's what Kara was worried about. She must have been worried they were followed. Alex looked at her sister. Her hair was long again, her clothing was of higher quality than what she'd worn on Earth. She noticed the wedding ring and the House of El necklace Kara wore. The same familiar symbol was worn as a lapel pin by Liam. She was more filled out. The only weight her sister had gained living on Earth was muscle weight. But there was something else. Her sister held herself differently. She held herself like she did when she was in her Supergirl uniform. She held herself like she was a queen because she was one. She hugged Kelly then Eliza in turn.

“There's something I want to tell you guys,” Kara said. She smiled and Alex watched her sister shake off her nervous energy. She held out her other hand to her sister. As they walked towards Alura's home Liam trailed behind saying nothing.

“How about you tell us over dinner?” Alura asked, “Alex brought in some Chinese food.” Kara's eyes lit up at this.

Kara had only eaten half of her meal before she told her family her news. Alura sat at the head of the table with Kara to her right then Liam continuing around the table to Eliza, Kelly and Alex who sat directly across from her sister.

“So,” she said and Liam grabbed her hand giving it a squeeze. This was something Alex didn't miss and she watched as Kara smiled at him. It didn't reach her eyes though, it was more of a shy smile, a nervous smile. It was like she was unsure if she was happy about the news she was sharing. Alex tightened her grip on her glass as Kelly tightened her grip on Alex's other hand.

“I'm pregnant,” Kara said. Alex heard a glass shatter and she thought it was hers but it was Alura's. Dark red wine spilled all over the white and gold table cloth. Alex knew of course that Kara was sleeping with Liam. They were married. Kara had brought up having his heirs several times. But it didn't prepare her for hearing the news. Kara continued on as if her mother hadn't responded the way she did.

“I'm just over three months along,” she said then looked at Liam, “We haven't told anyone. A few people in the castle know of course but no one else knows.” Kara then waited for someone to say something. Alura still had a stunned look on her face not bothering to clean up the mess, red wine still dripped onto the floor. So Alex said something.

“That's great, Kara,” Alex said, “I'm happy for you, for you both.” There was a chorus of congratulations from Eliza and Kelly as well but Alura was still sitting in stunned silence. Alex's lie came easily. She wasn't happy of course, as much as she hated to admit it. Though it'd been over a year there was still a small shred of hope that her sister would eventually return home. That eventually their lives would go back to the way they were. That they'd have game night, and binge watch their favorite Netflix shows, and spend time together like they used to. Now that hope was snuffed out. Kara could never leave now, not even when Brenham was no longer a threat.

She thought back to a recent VR call, as Kara called them, they had had. Kara had left abruptly citing nausea from traveling. It was morning sickness. And most of their calls had been ended because of it. She wasn't sick from a moving monorail ride but from a fetus playing with her insides. Alex noticed Kara was looking at her mother waiting for her to say something. Alex knew how much Alura struggled with Kara leaving. She had been there to see her fall apart. Her knees had buckled once the ship left and she sobbed. Alex had awkwardly put her arms around Kara's mother trying to choke back her cries as well. Until that moment she had blamed Alura for Kara leaving as well as Liam. She hated that the arrangement had been made, hated that her sister had been taken from her. And she thought it was Alura's fault, that she could have done more to stop it. Then she saw her fall apart. It took days of remaining on Argo before she would even think about returning to Earth. Alex couldn't leave her sister's mother like that.

Alex gently kicked Alura under the table which seemed to shock her back to reality.

“That's wonderful Kara,” she said plastering on a shaky smile. She then said something in her native tongue. Kara's shoulder's relaxed at whatever her mother said. Alex thought about asking later but decided against it.

“I know it's not Kryptonian tradition,” she said, “But if it's a girl I want Astra to be a part of her name.”

“I think that's a great way to honor her,” Alura said then a moment later mentioned dessert switching topics. The tension at the table still hung in the air but for the moment the topic Kara's pregnancy was dismissed. The rest of their meal was filled with small talk. Alex was careful to mention what had happened on Earth, avoiding Lex and Leviathan. She didn't mention that her relationship with Lena was slowly being repaired. Or that she'd wanted to come, that she wanted to make amends with Kara too. There was no mention of Brenham or of the POW camps in Luxo or of the Ulodrins. A girl named Janessa was mentioned, one of Kara's new nieces. She had recently married a Luxo Lord to further solidify the peace. Alex didn't tune out when hearing of the wedding though she could see Alura had a difficult time focusing. Alex knew she blamed herself. A marriage was one thing, but a child? The thought of her and Liam together twisted her insides, she could only fathom what Alura was going through. Kara had only known him for less than a year. It didn't matter how much time had passed for her, she'd never forgive the man who took her sister away.

She couldn't tell if her sister was happy with the king. If she was putting on a brave face like her mother had before Kara left. She thought about the various calls they'd had. Most didn't bring up her relationship with Liam.

“Have you had any cravings?” Eliza asked reverting the topic back to the pregnancy. Alex shot her mother a withering look but her mother ignored her as Kara answered the question.

“I've been eating a lot of fruit,” Kara said, “It's been a challenge to keep most food down.” A look of guilt passed over Liam's face. It was fleeting but Alex and Kelly both caught it. Alex glanced Alura, she'd hadn't taken her eyes off Kara. She wasn't paying any attention to Liam. Kara went on to talk about the greenhouse that'd been set up. Did Liam not like Kara being pregnant? Was he not happy?

“Do you have your powers under the synthetic yellow sun?” Kelly asked. Alex saw Kara and Liam tense and give each other sideways glances.

“Just gives me a boost of energy,” Kara said but Alex knew it was a lie. Kara did gain all of her powers. And something had happened, she'd done something or he'd done something, and now it was a sore subject for them. Liam's hand was no longer on top of Kara's and she had moved hers to her lap. What had happened? Kara did have her Supergirl uniform with her on Nibiru. Surely, she hadn't gone out helping people. She kept what limited powers she had secret. She drew attention enough from being queen.

“That'll be good when the baby comes,” Eliza said and Kara let out a laugh but Alex could hear the nervousness behind it. There was polite laughter that rippled around the table.

Alura was the first of the family to excuse herself and eventually it was just Kara and Alex to remain. Words stuck in the back of Alex's throat. Over a year of not seeing her sister, of not being in the same room, and here they were sitting in silence.

“It's weird to have a family meal like this,” Kara finally said, “Usually it's just Liam and I.”

“Don't you want to come home?” Alex asked.

“What?”

“Why weren't you more careful? Don't you want to return to Earth?”

“Alex, I don't-”

“How can you be pregnant?!”

“Alex,” Kara said, “I- We didn't plan... of course I want to return to Earth. But I can't. Earth isn't my home anymore, Nibiru is.”

“But it shouldn't be!” Alex screamed back, “And now- Kara- you're not ready to-”

“No, I'm not. And I'm trying really, really hard to be happy about the- I want to be happy.”

“You were happy on Earth, as Supergirl, as Kara Danvers, as my sister,” Alex said, “Not hiding in a man's shadow!”

“I'm still your sister,” Kara said, “Just because I live on a different planet doesn't mean... I'm not in Liam's shadow”

“You have no idea how hard it is back home without you there. Why couldn't you have just said no! You gave up being the strongest person on Earth, the strongest woman, to being nothing more than someone's wife. A title you only have because he gave it to you.”

“Mxy came and visited a couple of months ago,” Kara said softly.

“He showed us... he showed us what happened if I said no,” Kara said. She let out a shaky gasp and continued looking around for something or someone before she continued.

“Saying no on Krypton, the planet was destroyed. My father was most likely taken and my mom she held me in her arms telling me everything was going to be okay as my home died again,” Kara said.

“When I refused to leave with Liam on Earth,” Kara said, “I saw our future, felt our future. It took ten years but Brenham came. Brenham came to Earth and we refused to surrender. And you refused to leave, to go to Argo. You stayed and fought. And as they dragged me away I saw you. You were in some new suit that was covered in your blood. There was a large gash on your forehead, your eyes were half closed. I couldn't hear your heartbeat. I couldn't save you- couldn't save Earth.”

“We've been preparing-”

“You're not listening!” Kara cried, “You were _dead_. Lena was Rao knows where. Lex probably joined them. We cannot defeat Brenham. This is how we save Earth.”

“You being pregnant doesn't save anything- it... it-”

“I'm interrupting something aren't I?” Kara and Alex heard. They turned to see Lena Luthor.


	38. Home

“I told you not to come,” Alex said.

“Lena!” Kara gasped. She didn't get a chance to move before Lena hugged her. Kara, shocked, didn't move.

“I've wanted to contact you, I've wanted to for months but I've felt so guilty for how I acted-”

“We've all made choices we've regretted,” Kara said.

“Yeah, right,” Alex muttered under her breath. Kara ignored the comment. She recalled Esla's comment and how she reacted and how since then she'd learned better.

“Are you working with Alex and J'onn on Earth?” she asked Lena sitting down on one of the couches. Lena looked at Alex confirming that the woman hadn't told her sister anything.

“Yes, yes, a lot has happened in the near year and a half since you've left.”

“I forget about the time discrepancy,” Kara said, “I wish it were the other way around.”

“Why, so instead of showing up pregnant you'd show up with a baby?” Alex spat. Kara took a breath wanting to yell back.

“You're pregnant?!” Lena exclaimed then twisted to look at her friend. Kara smoothed the fabric around her stomach revealing the bump.

“I- uh- congratulations?” she asked unsure of whether this was something her friend was happy about because Alex certainly wasn't.

“Thank you, Lena,” Kara said just as Alex opened her mouth. She smiled though her friend noticed it didn't reach her eyes like it normally did. The light that had surrounded Kara wherever she was, was dimmer.

“How is it on Nibiru?” Lena asked shifting the focus elsewhere.

“It's different,” Kara said, “When I was younger my family traveled and I got to visit all these different planets. Then Krypton died and Earth became the only planet I'd ever see. Though I'm not traveling, moving to another planet... Nibiru is not Earth, nor is it Krypton but it's not bad. I have a purpose there.” Alex went to open her mouth, to rebuttal, that she had a purpose on Earth too but it was Lena who cut her off before that could happen.

“How do you like being queen? I'm sure it's different than being Supergirl.”

“Yeah, being a man's trophy wife is drastically-” but Kara ignored her sister, cutting her off.

“Rifar is still recovering from their war with Luxo. Though there is now peace between the two nations there's still work to be done. Janessa, my niece, was married to a Lord in Luxo. People are finally returning to homes, they're prebuilt homes, small, unlike they were used to before. Though life is returning to the western provinces there's still much to do before schools open. I hope to travel there and help them while Liam deals with other duties.” Lena watched her friend as she she spoke. She watched her back become even straighter, her tone shift into something more diplomatic, Lena was unsure if this was a practiced speech, perhaps one she gave at dinner earlier, or if this was just a part of Kara becoming a queen.

“You still have some of your powers, right? Do you get to help people as Supergirl?” Lena asked. Alex whipped her head towards Kara at this and like Lena, she caught her sister tense at the question just like she'd had when Kelly asked it.

“I still have some powers,” she said, “But it is physically draining so I don't use them.” Alex narrowed her eyes at her sister.

“What about the Earth greenhouse?” Alex countered, “The synthetic yellow sun would return you to your full strength.”

“I only used my powers a few times to help people, but it was months ago. And I stopped. It was dangerous. I'm a queen there, not a Superhero.”

“Let me guess, Liam forced you to stop?” Alex asked.

“Liam isn't a villain,” Kara said sharply, “He's my husband.”

“A husband who took you by force-”

“No! I went with him, and I'd do it again, and again, and again. Earth is safe because of _my choice._ But Rifar is my home now and it's my job to help protect them too. Why can't you understand that?”

“You've been there less than a year! You didn't consider Earth home until after a _decade_ of living there. And finally when you were happy, you just leave-”

“I didn't just leave. I chose to save Earth and everyone on it, including you. Because like I said earlier, you wouldn't have survived when Brenham visit Earth. Lena wouldn't have survived, nor J'onn, or Nia, or anyone.”

“We think we've found a way to protect ourselves against Brenham,” Lena jumped in. She explained that for the past eight months they'd been working together, along with Barry and Kate and the Legends. They weren't gathering an army though that was their first plan. Instead the plan to create a shield from any weapons. This shield would encase the globe but also produce light and maintain the atmosphere. Right now, most of their work was in the stages of early drafting, it could be another year or two until they could test anything. And they had to work without Lex finding out.

“Your plan... I still can't come back to Earth.”

“Because of the baby,” Alex said looking at Kara's rounded abdomen.

“Even if I wasn't pregnant, I'm still the queen. I'm still married to Liam,” Kara said, “I can't leave Rifar.”

“Does divorce not exist in Rifar?” Alex asked. Kara knew it did but only under extreme circumstances. Abuse, affairs, or if Liam had gotten his way, if no baby was conceived within a year.

“I would never divorce Liam,” Kara said. Though their was little stigma around divorce on Earth now, growing up on Krypton was different. There were expectations for couples but overall it was frowned up to divorce your partner once you made vows. The action of divorce had to be approved by a judge.

“But if our plan works,” Lena said, “You could come home within a year or two of your time. I'm sure a custody arrangement could be agreed upon.”

“I won't have a child continuously shuffled between two planets,” Kara said, “Earth isn't my home anymore, Rifar of Nibiru is.”

“So, you're staying with him, you're choosing him over us, over me?” Alex asked, “You're choosing being a figurehead over being Supergirl? Hiding in a man's shadow?”

“I'm choosing the people of Earth and of Rifar. I'm protecting them both by staying on Nibiru,” Kara said rubbing her temples, “This isn't about Liam. Alex, I made the choice to go. I could have fought him. Hell, I could have argued leaving Krypton. This is about me, not him.”

“It has everything to do with him, he took you away!” Alex screeched.

“Even if I could return, baby or not, if I had no connection to the people of my country, I wouldn't. I love Liam,” Kara said hoping this small line might at least convince her sister since reason wouldn't, “It's been a long day, I'll see you in the morning. Alex, make sure to ask my mother to have a bed made for Lena.” Then Kara stood up and left the room. When she entered the hallway she nearly walked into Liam. He had grabbed her arms steadying her and she looked up at him tears threatening to fall.

“I knew it was going to be hard. But I thought she'd accepted that I can't return. If she were to learn about... if she knew about the offer you gave months ago... Liam, she'd never forgive me for saying no.”

“It's going to be alright Kara,” Liam said wrapping his arms around his wife as they sat on their bed.

“No, it's not,” Kara said, “She's going to hate you forever, and she'll grow to hate me because I didn't choose her. She thinks the choice I made was simple...”

“You said what was needed to be said,” he said, “Did what needed to be done.”

“I do- I... enjoy your company,” Kara finally said.

“As do I,” he said, “And I do hope it will become more than a union for both of us, someday.”

“If their plan works if they can save themselves from Brenham, she'll never forgive me, you, this baby. I'll have lost my sister when all I wanted to do was save her. I had to make so many sacrifices being Supergirl; I sent my first boyfriend away to save him, I nearly sacrificed myself not long after I became Supergirl, I've had relationships end because I have powers and keep secrets, before I became Supergirl I had to pretend to be something I'm not for the safety of myself and my family. I just... I never thought I'd have to sacrifice my relationship with my sister to save Earth, to save her.”

“It's okay if she hates me Kara,” he said.

“No, it's not,” Kara said, “The situation might not be ideal but it is what it is... and I can't have her hating the father of our child.” He placed his hand on her stomach.

“Are you happy on Nibiru, Kara?” Liam finally asked. She was surprised. She expected the question from everyone here with one exception: him.

“I want to be happy,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll post again on Wednesday and Sunday then I'll be taking a short hiatus. Let me know your thoughts!


	39. I want

Breakfast the following morning was filled with smalltalk between Kelly, Eliza, and Lena. Alex was still storming from last night, Alura still taking in the fact that her daughter was pregnant, and Kara feared starting another argument with her sister. Liam remained quiet, knowing his place at the table. That he was unwelcome by Alex and possibly by Alura, the matriarch of his wife's family. He kept one hand entwined with Kara's despite this. He knew that those she was with her family again she felt just as alone as she did on Nibiru. And it was his fault.

Late in the morning Alex and Kelly went out for a tour of Argo with Lena and Eliza as most of them had never been. Liam had business to attend to and returned to the ship leaving Kara alone with her mother.

“Mom, please say something,” Kara finally said after an hour of silence.

“I'd have hoped he'd have the decency to at least wait until you were more settled,” she said.

“I was the one to...” Kara trailed off seeing her mother's face.

“He is a good man, mother,” she said softly finally, “A kind man, a kind king and husband.”

“But you do not love him,” she said, “I saw it at dinner. You care for each other, you are protective of each other, but unlike the other boy you brought with you years ago, I do not see the love between you two.”

“You said we'd grow to love each other,” Kara said her voice cracking, “Don't you think I want to love him? It hasn't even been a year, it'll... it'll come.”

“And you're already three months pregnant,” Alura said.

“Please be happy for me mother,” Kara pleaded.

“Why should I be happy that my daughter allows herself to stand in the shadow of a man? I thought you were taught differently, that a woman's place in more than this? Why should I be happy that my daughter is-”

“Because I'm not! I need someone to be happy for me. I need someone to be happy about this child,” Kara cried the tears falling faster than she could stop them, “I need someone to be happy because I can't. I'm terrified. I can't be a mom. I'm not ready. How can I love a human being when I don't even know if- if I want them?” Kara continued and ended up telling her mother about the offer Liam had given her months ago. Everything about the last nine months slipped out. Her saving the people on the monorail, the destruction of the treehouse, the visit from Brenham, Halisa and the pain her family had gone through, Mxy's visit, and the nursery painted a soft green in an attempt to bring joy to being pregnant. Kara had her fears of standing in Liam's shadow. That Alex was right, that she was a figurehead. Alura didn't interrupt when Kara was speaking. She listened and as hours went by the guilt grew inside of her.

“You were holding me in your arms as Krypton burned around us,” Kara said recounting Mxy's visit again, “And Alex was dead, there was so much blood... I couldn't save her. I couldn't save her or you. And now you both hate me and if she finds out about his offer she'll hate me even more. But I couldn't... I couldn't leave them, knowing the damage it would cause to so many families, lives.”

“I could never hate you Kara,” Alura said she cupped Kara's face in her hands, “Do you hear me? I could never hate you. I love you. And I'm so sorry that I've been a part of the pressure put on you. You are still being my strong, brave little girl. You are protecting those people by staying, and I don't know if Alex could understand that because she's not you. She doesn't know what it's like to lose a whole planet. To leave one behind.” She moved to wrap her arms around her.

“You will grow to love each other Kara, it may take more time and that's okay,” Alura said, “Love is sometimes slow, it's not always- what's that phrase? Love at first sight. And you- you will be an excellent mother.”

“You may not be ready for this baby,” Alura said gently placing her hand on Kara's stomach, “And that's okay. But when you hold them for the first time, you'll love them. Rao shines his light on you Kara. It's okay to be fearful, because Rao is happy for this baby and so am I. I should not have acted the way I did last night. If I'd known... it's okay to be scared Kara.”

“I'm sorry,” Kara cried.

“Shh, no, don't apologize,” Alura said holding her daughter, “They're going to leave a soldier here. So when it's close to time I can come be with you.”

“You'll come visit Rifar?” she asked.

“Yes, I've been wanting to for a while now. And now that Luxo or Brenham isn't currently of concern I'll be able to visit. Would you like me to bring Alex?” Kara tensed. She wanted her sister to visit, of course she did. But she feared Alex wouldn't want to visit.

“Perhaps we'll come visit Argo again,” Kara said then, “What if she was right? What if all I am is a figurehead? What if all I'm doing is standing in a man's shadow?”

“I was wrong to suggest that's what you're doing. You've learned a new way of life I know nothing about, neither does Alex. You may not be equal to him in the way I'd want, or in the way you want. You may never be equals when it comes to your professional lives,” she said sounding drained, “But that doesn't mean you're standing in his shadow. You can still do so much good, you have done so much good already. I, nor Alex, have no place to judge the choices you've made to survive. To save so many people.”

Then Kara asked, so softly she wasn't sure her mother hear her, “What if my choices weren't enough? What if they don't protect us? What if Brenham attacks anyway? What if they take everyone here and use them in an army?”

“Then you'll know you did everything you could,” her mother said.

“But if it was to come to pass anyway... I could have spent the time with Alex, with my family. What if she's right? What if they can protect Earth and I made the wrong choice? Then I'll be living on Nibiru with a child forever separated from my sister because I refused to listen out of fear?”

“Alex will never know fear like you do,” Alura said, “I hope she comes to understand that you made this choice because you already know what it's like to lose one planet. That, though your choice was made from fear, you believed that it was the right one in that moment. That being, Mxyzpital, showed you this. Don't let your sister, or me for that matter, let you regret your choices. Your choices come from wisdom that we don't have.”

The next several days passed quickly. Kara made an attempt to spend time with everyone, including rekindling her friendship with Lena. Lena spent time talking about the plan, in detail, to protect Earth whereas Kara told her what it was like to live on another planet. She had a feeling Lena would rather visit Nibiru than Alex. Though Kara had spent time with her sister, tension always lingered in the air, like it had when she'd first arrived on Earth.

“You need to forgive your sister for her choices, and forgive her husband for following a law he tried hard to fight,” Alura said to Alex the morning Kara and Liam were to leave. Kelly and Lena were giving Kara their hugs goodbye at the base of the ship. Eliza was walking back to Alura and Alex already having said goodbye.

“He didn't try-”

“There are things Kara hasn't confided in you about,” Alura said, “And for good reason. She fears of losing you and is afraid she already has. If you don't-”

“The past year and a half has been so hard. You have no idea how difficult-”

“At least you knew she was alive and well. You had communication. I thought my daughter was dead, lost to a world I couldn't enter, for three decades. _That is difficult_. What's not is going up to her and wishing her well. Wishing her and her husband and upcoming baby good health and happiness. You need to forgive her. Kara deserves to be happy on Nibiru and she can't if you don't tell her it's okay.”

“I have told her to be happy-”

“Actions speak louder than words, short phone calls, ignoring her husband completely, and small talk is beneath you Alex. You two are past that,” Eliza said jumping into the conversation, “It took you a long time to become friends, are you ready to give that up?”

Alex looked at her sister with Liam. He stood slightly behind Kara watching her every move. He wasn't watching her to be controlling she realized but he watched her out of concern. Alex then moved towards Kara. Her sister tensed up and Alex's heart filled with guilt.

“I'm sorry, Kara,” she said hugging her. She pulled back and looked at Liam, he gave her a quick nod which she returned. She focused back on her sister.

“Call me when you get back,” she said, “And give me that tour of the castle. Maybe after the baby comes... let me know...”

“We will,” Kara said, “I love you.” The goodbye with Alura was shorter and she promised she'd be coming for a visit in a few months.

“Keep her safe,” she finally said to Liam before giving Kara one last hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll be uploading the next chapter on Sunday then taking a short hiatus. Let me know your thoughts!


	40. Attack

They'd only been back at the castle for less than an hour when the bombs went off. Kara and Liam fell against a wall. Carson was still at the ship. The soldiers that usually flanked the king and queen had been sent to the end of the hall as they were in the family wing. Liam told Kara to wait in their room but she dismissed him, running towards the screams of the staff. People were flooding the halls, some palace staff, some guards, but most of them wore dark orange fabric and were shielding their faces. Kara did a quick count, there were nine in orange. They all had weapons and Kara spotted a flag, with an emblem she knew. These attackers were the Ulodrin. The people that Liam had told her were dormant. Except that they weren't. They wore gas masks and grey smoke filled the air.

“Kara!” Liam yelled as she used her strength and speed to move people away. He fought off the rebels and by the time he caught up to her she was struggling to stay upright, struggling to breathe, struggling to move. So was he. There was something in the smoke that was filling the hallway.

“You need to get me to the greenhouse,” she said, “Now.”

“Kara-”

“Now!” As guards continued to fight they slipped away. It'd been a while since she had stepped foot into the Earth greenhouse but instantly felt the sun's warmth fill and energize every cell. Her lungs cleared, her vision became crystal clear. She wasn't sure how long it'd last but she didn't have time to worry about that now. She pulled on the necklace she was wearing, a late departing gift from Brainy, and her Supergirl suit materialized around her.

She flew out of the greenhouse to the shock of the staff still running about. Many of the Ulodrins were surprised but some were prepared and shot at her. She destroyed their weapons before their blasts could reach her or Liam. She created a wall of ice blocking more of the traitors from entering the castle. She tried to spot the leader but couldn't tell with their masks. She wouldn't be able to recognize them anyway but she had her superhearing back. She listened for his voice, for the man giving orders.

Maybe it was because she was out of practice, or because she was too focused on listening for the leader, but she didn't see the attack coming. It wasn't Liam who crashed to the ground but her. She could hear him though, fearful, and in pain as if he had been the one shot.

“It's going to be okay,” he said but she was still listening for the man's voice.

“Get her out-” Liam coughed. The room was hazy. The main hall was filled with smoke. The same smoke that had begun to fill the family wing earlier. Liam could feel his lungs being filled with it. His body tightened and it became difficult to move. Kara did not have this problem. She was looking around. He fell to his knees and noticed Kara begin to stand.

“You need to get her out of-”

“No!” Kara said and she flew back up though she felt Liam's hand on her ankle about to pull her down.

“I can see him!” She ignored the orders of everyone around her and flew to the leader. She didn't realize that Liam had held on as she flew into the grand hall so when he dropped to the ground she didn't know until he had shot the man dead. The sound of a gunshot rang in her ears and she could now see the blood covering every square inch of the floor. She looked around to see the dead bodies, some palace staff, some soldiers, and the remainder were rebels.

“Easy,” Liam said. The dead bodies morphed to ones among the ruins of National City. Of Alex not breathing. He could move easier now.

“Has the paralyzing gas been expelled?” he asked then continued, “Remove the masks from the attackers. Fill every room with the knockout gas. Bring in a unit, make sure the hospital is prepared. And get Willdridge.” Kara wasn't sure who he was talking to. Wasn't sure what was going on. She felt something go over her face.

“No,” she said wanting to keep fighting, to keep going. She could keep going, she had to.

“This will help you stay awake,” Liam said and Kara saw a remaining rebel dragging Halisa out, a dress tossed on the floor. Her legs weren't moving but Kara could hear her screaming at him to stop, to leave her alone, begging him, pleading with him to let her live.

“Your highness, we need to get you both out of here,” a guard said. Him and Liam were both wearing masks now. But the new knockout gas that was now filling the room hadn't affected either the rebel or Halisa.

“If you refuse to leave perhaps we let the gas knock her out.”

“No, I don't know what kind of effects it'll have on her,” he said, “Kara, just until we're out of the castle.” He already feared the affect the paralyzing gas had on the baby.

“We have to keep fighting,” Kara said attempting to stand though her knees gave out. She focused on the man and she spotted a glint of silver.

“Sir.”

“She's pregnant,” he hissed.

“Kara, it's over-” She shoved him out of the way easily and brought her hands together letting out a sonic boom as everyone around them, the man who had grabbed Halisa fell to the ground, blood spilling from his ears having taken the brunt of the attack due to it being aimed at him. Liam sat back up his ears ringing and looked behind him at the people and at the man who was now dead. He turned back to Kara and spoke calmly.

“You've been hurt, Kara,” he said, “Listen to me-”

“Be quiet!” she yelled trying to listen to Halisa's heartbeat fearing the sonic boom she'd created had killed her. There was too much noise. She was out of practice. She was finding it hard to focus. So many of the heartbeats she heard were dying ones.

“Kara, please,” Liam said but again she tried to stand pushing back him and the other man pushing her down. She saw a few more of the rebels attempting to leave and shot a ray of heat vision towards one of them but missed. A tapestry caught fire which sprinklers quickly put out. She felt the mask go on though she tried to pull the person's hands away still hearing the echoes of screams around her. She tried to stand up but was pushed down. She forced herself to her feet and pushed him aside saw that Halisa was no longer in the main hall and most of the people that still were, were asleep, save the rebels that remained standing as guards attempted to remove their masks. She spun around looking for her and tore her mask off. She called out her name and caught the attention of the three remaining rebels in the hall. They had their masks on and the guards that tried to take them out were dead at their feet. They aimed their weapons at her and she took all of them out. Her powers collided with the energy blast of the weapon and the force of it threw her back towards one of the pillars. It cracked in half, toppling forward as she fell to the ground unconscious.

Liam was amazed to see Kara breathing. The pillar hadn't crushed her. He took a moment to look around the hall. Blood coated the floor along with a litter of bodies. They were already getting the numbers. There were two dozen members of the Ulodrins that'd attacked. Only three were alive. The ones Kara attacked were thrown back like she was but they hadn't died. He couldn't tell who in the room was dead or just unconscious.

“She's alive, your highness,” Dr. Willdridge said, “I'm taking her to my office and check on her more thoroughly there.”

“I'm coming with,” he said standing up.

“Your highness, we need to inform the public of what's happened,” one of Liam's advisors said. He'd only just arrived. He was covering his nose as he looked around the room horrified.

“I-”

“Liam, what happened?” Carson said looking just as shocked as the rest of those in the room.

“The Ulodrins,” he said, “We don't have a death count yet.” He watched as the rolled Kara out of the main hall and turned back towards Carson.

“Less than three hours ago the queen and I returned from our visit to her home of Argo City, as is tradition to visit the queen's homeland once a year. There we delivered joyous news that we were excited to share with you. Unfortunately, not long after our return the castle was attacked. A group who calls themselves the Ulodrins, laid siege on the castle with the intent to kill the queen. They believed her to be a witch, a poison to our land because she had powers on Earth. Your queen does indeed still obtain some of her powers here due to the yellow sun,” Liam said. The crowd began to mummer, some reporters started to ask questions but he ignored them.

“And it is because of these powers she was able to help defeat the Ulodrins. Because of her many lives were sparred. Thirty-three lives were taken by the Ulodrins and they not only endangered the queen but the life of,” he took a shaky breath because she hadn't waken up, she was still being checked over by the doctor, “our child.” The noise of the crowd picked up but Liam spoke above them.

“Today we had hoped to share with you the news that the queen and I are expecting a child. We had hoped to tell you together. If you'll excuse me, I'll be handing over any questions you have to my head of royal communications.” Then Liam stepped away as the questions came out all at once. How far along is the queen? Will she recover? How long has she had her powers? What powers does she have? Will she use them like she did on Earth? Should the people of Rifar fear the Ulodrins?

“What happened?” Kara asked groggily waking up. Liam was sitting in a chair besides their bed, in a different suit than he had worn on the ship.

“Thank goodness,” he said.

“Halisa, Halisa, is she?” she asked looking around.

“She's fine,” he said. She visibly relaxed.

“What about the baby?” she asked softly.

“Right now Dr. Willdridge is keeping an eye on it but she said it's okay,” he said.

“I didn't even... Liam, I- I just- I shouldn't have...”

“You helped save dozens of lives,” he said.

“But I endangered our child's. And I didn't even give it a second's thought.”

“You were Supergirl for nearly five years,” he said, “Your instincts were to fight. To defend. To protect.”

“I wanted to accept your offer,” Kara finally said softly.

“Kara, I shouldn't have-”

“I wanted to say yes. And part of me still does.”

“You were right in saying no. You were the one with the moral high ground, not me. You looked out for the welfare of my people- our people. It's what you do, what a queen does.”

“I've been here for nearly a year and I hardly feel like one.”

“It's not like you have a great predecessor to look up to. You've been able to help the people in ways I can't. Sure, I can delegate funds, or delegate someone to delegate funds, but the ideas and the execution is all you. I can protect my people but you are making their lives better.”

“I don't know if I want... if I want...”

“I know,” he said, “We could have- should have been more cautious, for the both of us. But the people know now.”

“You told them?”

“They now know the Ulodrins didn't just attack the queen, the leadership, but a child. As awful as it sounds, anyone who might have thought of joining them won't now because of what they've done. I have Harrison speaking to them now, has been for the last hour.”

“Poor Harrison,” Kara laughed softly. She'd grown to know him because he dealt with speaking to the media about everything surrounding the royal family and their activities. She also spent time with Yue, one of the speech writers. She wondered if she were there too.

“Has Alex been called?” she asked.

“That's next on the to do list, after you get more rest,” he said picking up the blankets off the floor.

“How many are dead?” she asked

“You need to sleep Kara, you-”

“How many?” she asked again.

“Thirty, there are many in critical care so we are expecting that the number will go up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been one of my favorite chapters to write. I knew this was how to I wanted to reveal Kara's powers to the people of Rifar not long after I started writing this story. Thanks so much for reading! I will be taking a short hiatus until September 6th. Until then I'll be updating my new story; A Vampire named Silas, as well concluding Be Spontaneous. I'm hoping by the time I return I'll have an idea of how many chapters this story will be in total, as it's already been 40. Let me know your thoughts and I'll see you soon! -K


	41. Royal Security Council Meeting

Alex was calling every other day since she'd learned of the attack on the palace. Kara didn't have the heart to shake her. She was just grateful that her sister didn't insist on her returning to Earth because of what had happened.

Now that the people of Rifar knew of the upcoming birth of a new heir the focus had shifted from the hardships its' people had faced to the baby. Kara didn't hear about the POW soldiers wanting action taken against Luxo. As far as she knew life in the western provinces was slowly starting back up. Schools would finally be opening within a few weeks with teachers from all over the country helping the students return to a new normal.

“Now, the presenting gown is emerald green,” one of Kara's tutors said. She hadn't seen her in months, not since she'd stopped attending lessons in how to be a queen.

“It bears the royal crest in gold thread,” she said, “The same one has been worn by each prince and princess for generations. The dress you wear is of your own choosing but usually past queens have gone with their family's color. You can discuss that with your seamstresses.”

During the meeting with her seamstresses Kara thought about how the last three breakfasts she'd eaten alone, Liam already gone from their suite. Liam was still dealing with the fallout of the attack. She had wanted to join him in the meetings but was discouraged by Dr. Willdridge. Despite it having been nearly two weeks, her doctor didn't want her overextending herself, and was worried the stress these meetings might cause. Kara had argued to attend the meetings, that she was perfectly healthy, that she had always bounced back from attacks before but Liam was not convinced. But Kara slept through the night, he didn't. He had been on edge since that day and despite having killed the Ulodrin's leader himself, along with jailing many top ranked members, he was not at peace.

“These walls have not been breached in two centuries. Right now my focus has to be the safety of everyone in this castle,” he had said a few nights after the attack.

“Liam, everyone here is safe now,” Kara said.

“Not the thirty-four dead,” he said, “And they nearly killed you.”

“No, they didn't. You saw me with five minutes of the yellow sun, and I wasn't even at my full strength. Had I been, you'd have seen-”

“You should never have to be at your full strength here,” he said.

“Because I'm not Supergirl here,” she said her voice bitter. Their discussion had dissolved into a full blown argument.

Kara stopped listening to the women chatter about new outfits to fit her changing body as well as baby clothes.

“Your highness,” one of them said after Kara stepped off the platform.

“If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere else I need to be,” she said and left the room. She wasn't entirely sure which situation room Liam was in today. There were several throughout the palace, one with screens to view news footage, arial views, and other data, another was like a board room, and another like a sitting room for more personal individual meetings. She found one of his secretaries and asked him to direct her to the correct room.

The entire room of high ranking soldiers and advisors went silent when Kara entered the room. Everyone stood up and bowed their heads.

“I apologize for being late,” Kara said looking directly at Liam as she sat down at the other end of the table. Carson cleared his throat and continued.

“We've found more cells in the east and south, none so far in the western provinces,” he said, “Though from what we've learned many members weren't on board for the attack on the castle. Certainly not with killing the queen. They know the meaning of the term treason, unlike their leader.”

“I don't care if they were on board or not, they could have warned us but they chose not to,” Liam responded, “Has everyone involved with the Ulodrins been brought in?”

“No, your highness,” one of the colonels said, “They are currently being watched.”

“I want them brought in,” Liam said.

“The Ulodrins should be marked as a domestic terrorist group,” Kara said, “But not everyone could be brought in.”

“Of course they can,” Liam said.

“No, because a group like them- we'll never really know the true numbers. I'm not saying they shouldn't be brought to justice, but their reach could go farther than we know. The borders of Rifar may still be closed but there are no such borders on the internet. Their manifesto may be online, there is no possible way to know how many people are involved.”

“Then we should take in who we know is involved, get them to talk,” Liam said sharply, “They can't get away with attempting to kill you.”

“I'm suggesting we watch, we keep moles in their organization. We don't want them to rise from the ashes like a phoenix should you jail everyone. You've imprisoned the members who attacked already, punish them how you see fit. Then wait. Should you try to wipe them out we won't be prepared for another attack, we won't be on guard and more people could die,” Kara explained, “I know about organizations like the Ulodrins. There's one on Earth and there are still cells active, they're more vocal and physical but we weren't able to destroy them.”

“Because America has free speech,” he said, “And even there you can't attempt to assassinate a high ranking government official and get away with it.”

“That's why I'm suggesting we declare them a terrorist group, and anyone found with ties to them will be brought in for questioning, face a fine or jail time. But we can't eliminate them because if we do, there will be someone out there who sees what we've done as unjust and they need to be avenged. We keep an eye on them an hope, that in time, they will die out.”

“I'm not just going to wait and hope-”

“That's why I'm saying we watch them. Keep soldiers in their organization. Find out if they're planning on another attack.”

“And what happens if during this time one of them goes to Brenham?” he spat out.

“Your highness, perhaps we should continue this meeting another time,” Carson said.

“No,” Kara said sharply, “If you execute every member of this group- someone's mother, father, sister, brother, husband or wife, or friend a grieving relative will find someone in another country who will listen to them. That the queen of Rifar is dangerous and her children will be too. And that news may or may not get to Brenham. But eliminating a group is not as simple as you may think. Maybe they'll be dormant for a while, a few decades even. But what happens to our children, our grandchildren when that happens? Why not do some research, instead of planning how to kill these members, look up Nazis from Earth.” Kara then stood up from the table, which caused everyone in the room to do so as well, and she left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and sticking around while I take a short hiatus! This story will be around 60 chapters and then there will be a sequel since I don't want one piece to be too long. I still have to update Be Spontaneous and Silas, so if you read those, I'll be doing so soon. As for the steamy chapters of this story (and possibly Be Spontaneous), those will be up closer to the end of this story, if sooner I'll update you. Thanks again for reading and let me know your thoughts! See you Thursday!


	42. Just Once

Kara listened for the door to open behind her, for Liam to follow her, to admonish her like she was a child. She couldn't just stand by and let him decide everything. They'd tried to kill her. She was used to it. But she was also used to standing up to them, to having a voice in moving forward. She didn't want to go to dress fittings or rehearsals of presenting an infant to a crowd of people. She didn't want to be a queen by appearance. She didn't want to just help plan dinners. And Liam knew that. Before. He knew that before the attack.

She entered the family wing and instead of going into the suite she entered the nursery. She opened the curtains letting the light from the day flood the room. The furniture had been recently cleaned and Kara could smell the faint oder of the organic cleaning products that were used throughout the castle. The room was still the soft green she'd painted it but now there was bedding to match the walls. The crib had a blanket with geometric shapes outlined on it in various pastel colors. The cushions on the rocking chair had been replaced with soft grey cushions and a dark green blanket hung over the back. Kara lifted it up realizing it wasn't a blanket but something to swaddle the baby in while holding it against her body. As Kara she never held a baby but as Supergirl she held them occasionally. But never had she cradled one against her. Kara looked at the art piece above the changing table. It was of the National City skyline. The artwork was made entirely using watercolor paints. She could see the windows in the buildings and even the CatCo sign on top of one. She saw her old apartment building and the DEO building.

Her phone started to buzz and she looked at the ID.

“Alex,” she breathed out sitting down.

“You look exhausted,” Alex said.

“I just had a thing with Liam, sort of,” Kara said

“What happened with Liam?” Kara heard Lena asked.

“He wants to make every decision, with force, against the Ulodrins,” Kara said, “Hold on.” She pressed a few buttons and Alex and Lena were standing in front of her. Alex looked around at the room while Lena looked at her self.

“Holographic calls,” Kara said, “Probably won't be too much longer on Earth till you have them.”

“I bet I can make it work the other way around,” Lena said looking towards the doors.

“As much as I'd love for you to see Rifar, it's just the castle gardens you'd be seeing, and right now there are strict orders for all doors and windows to remained closed at all times.”

“Alex told me about what happened,” Lena said.

“He wants to eradicate the entire group,” Kara said, “And I argued that it wasn't possible.”

“Except I did it in front of his national security council,” Kara said, “He knows about the Agent of Liberty and how some groups of his followers are still active.”

“They never existed on this Earth,” Lena said, “Not that J'onn and Alex could find. Though I'm sure Lex has a group somewhere despite being in prison.”

“Lex is in prison?” Kara asked.

“For the last four months,” Lena said, “You didn't tell her, Alex?” Kara and Lena both looked at Alex.

“This is the nursery,” she breathed out touching the crib.

“The... the baby won't sleep here for it's first few months,” Kara said, “He, um, he brought up Brenham, implied the Ulodrins telling them about Kryptonians.”

“You're worried they'll create a army of supers,” Lena said.

“I thought even though I'd be an outsider again, at least my family, my people would be safe.”

“You aren't safe in Rifar,” Alex said.

“Wasn't exactly safe on Earth, hiding who I was for so long,” Kara said, “If someone attacked me there, it was just assault, here it's treason.”

“But you had your powers on Earth,” Alex said.

“And just like people there, some here think I'm dangerous,” Kara said.

“You had a secret identity,” Alex said, “to keep you safe.”

“How much longer would it have remained secret? Lex knew,” Kara said, “And how long do you think it'd be until he started controlling Supergirl's actions? If I didn't do what he'd ask he'd either reveal my secret or kill me, or maybe he'd follow his mother's path and experiment on me. I'm safer here than I ever was on Earth.”

“Because you have a title,” Lena said.

“And because Liam will destroy anyone who comes after you,” Alex said, “At least he's protective of you.” Kara thought about the conversation she'd had with her mother. Thought about the offer Liam gave her months ago. Thought about how much more Alex would accept him because of it. But she feared her sister's reaction. Would she understand why she had to say no? She'd tell her to put herself first instead of the people she had no ties to.

“Kara, what is it?” Lena asked.

“Nothing,” she said shaking her head. She watched her sister who was walking around the room looking at the items. Above the nursery were two canvas prints, one with her house crest and one with his.

“Your mom, she- she said that there was something you hadn't told me, that you were scared to tell me,” Alex said turning.

“I leave you guys to talk,” Lena said and she disappeared from the room. Kara looked at the floor her chest tightening.

“I wanted to tell you but... it- it wouldn't matter now, doesn't matter anymore,” Kara said standing up.

“We used to tell each other everything,” Alex said paused a moment then continued, “What makes this news different?”

“Because you'll hate me,” Kara said her voice breaking, “I can't have you hate me. Please.”

“Kara, I could never hate you,” Alex said but Kara shook her head.

“You will,” she said, “You'll hate me for the choice I made.” Alex reached out to touch her sister but her hand only fell through her sister's arm.

“I won't,” she said, “I've made my peace with you staying on Nibiru. You're still being Supergirl, in a way, and I shouldn't be surprised or upset about that.”

“A few months ago...” Kara started, “Liam he, he found this old, forgotten law. It was created by this ancestor who was upset about not having children, blamed his wives. So, this law was created to save them. Should a child not be born or conceived within the first year of marriage the the couple could divorce.”

“And you said no,” Alex breathed out. Kara could hear the disbelief in her sister's voice so she continued before anything else could be said.

“Had I said yes, the law would become known and perhaps used throughout the country. Lives would be destroyed. Relationships torn apart. The law would have done more harm than good.”

“And you put the people first. Typical,” Alex spat out the last word and Kara flinched.

“Alex, I-”

“No, just once, just once, couldn't you have put yourself first. Put what you wanted first. You've sacrificed your happiness time and time again, just once, why couldn't you have let yourself be happy! Because I know you're not happy there. You weren't happy visiting Argo and I've hardly seen you smile or heard you laugh since you left. Don't you want to be happy?!”

“I would have always wondered about what happened after I left Alex,” Kara said.

“You chose them over me, over your family on Earth,” Alex said her voice cracking, “People you hardly know.”

“No, I-”

“Save it,” she said, “Enjoy your time on Nibiru.” Then she disappeared from the room. Kara placed her hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs. She walked to her room and found it empty.

She needed out, out of this castle and out of this life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading guys! I'll be updating on Sunday. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter or the story overall.


	43. The Rifar Chronicle

It didn't take her long to figure out a plan, one she knew, were she caught, it wouldn't be a pretty conversation between her and Liam. She scribbled a note to Liam, that she was in the library and would be back late, well after dinner. Hopefully, he wouldn't come looking for her. She put the wig on that Halisa had grabbed for her. She hadn't tried dissuade her which Kara was grateful for. Unlike her lady-in-waiting, she hadn't felt the suns on her planet on her skin in days or had human contact outside of those in the castle. She held onto the lead lined bracelet waiting to slip it on until she was outside. Then she waited until the shift change. With some help from Halisa who distracted one of the guards, one that Kara knew had a crush on her, she was able to slip out of the castle.

Kara shielded her eyes with a pair of sunglasses and soon felt the weight of the lead lined cuff on her wrist as she walked through the city. Then she found somewhere she could feel like she belonged and where she could get answers. The Rifar Chronicle est. 1173. Editor-in-Chief: Cando Sutan. Kara brushed by busy reporters working on getting their stories in by the deadline. Some mentioned her, that she hadn't been seen outside the castle, one mentioned the baby, another the radicals who'd attacked the castle.

“I got an interview with one of the servants,” she heard.

“Saw the queen fight. Said it was just like seeing her in that Supergirl costume she wore on Earth. Said she was in her costume. House crest and everything.”

“Do you think there will be a public execution for them?”

“Do you think there will be another attack?”

“Algaria Academy is set to open next month, I've been trying to convince Sutan to send me there for a story but you know Levri is his favorite. Levri isn't even interested in Algaria, I'm sure he'd rather go under cover with the radicals, that would be his type of story.”

Then Kara found herself at the door to Cando Sutan. She knocked on the door and heard a voice tell her to come in. Cando was sitting at his desk flipping through stories, some Kara noticed were already in the trash bin next to the desk. She pulled the binds closed and locked the door.

“Are you here about an extension?” he asked not even bothering to look up.

“Actually I'm here for information about the radicals,” she said

“We've been releasing information as quick as we can. Have you checked out our website?” He looked up as Kara removed her sunglasses. He didn't recognize her.

“My boss, well one of them, didn't recognize me at first either,” she said as she brushed a strand of hair away from her face, flashing the ring around her finger. He stood up his jaw dropping. He went to bow and Kara stopped him.

“Your highness,” he said.

“Kara, please,” she said then looked around at the awards the newspaper had.

“I read your paper every day, even before my husband gets to it. It's the first of the pile, I also read The Eastloch Tribune, The Grigone Post, and if it's sent the Luxo Globe,” Kara said spotting one of the reporter's stories on the desk.

“I'm honored that you spend a portion of what I'm sure is a busy day reading my paper.”

“I haven't been out of the castle in days, you really think my day is that busy? I'd rather be one of your reporters rushing around gathering information for a story.”

“I heard you were a reporter,” he said.

“It feels like a lifetime ago,” she said, “I miss this environment. It's different in the castle.”

“His highness doesn't know you're here,” he said suddenly realizing Kara was alone without an escort.

“And I'm asking it stay that way, please.”

“Of course,” he said, “You said you wanted information about the radicals. But surely, you've seen the news.”

“Unfortunately, I haven't. And no newspaper has been delivered. Like I said, my day hasn't been busy. The only news I've heard has been palace gossip, which revolves around things like the color I painted the nursery, the rumor that Lady Janessa is expecting, and how exhausted some of them are due to upping the security.”

“But you must know more about the radicals, you're the Queen.”

“Off the record, I know the King wants them all executed, eradicated but he doesn't realize it's not that simple.”

“If I may, it's refreshing that Rifar has a queen with an opinion beyond what she wears.”

“You seem to be the only one who appreciates my opinion,” Kara said, “But I don't care what you think about me. I want to know what you and your reporters have found out about the Ulodrins.”

“While it was the Ulodrins who attacked you, it was a radical offshoot of their group,” he said, “We know the Ulodrins are a cult but most of them want to be left alone. From what we've learned, many are more interested in getting the word out about the dangers of using “magic” rather than using action against you.”

“Do they really believe my powers come from your version of the devil?”

“Unfortunately, which is why the decided to act in the way they did. I doubt they're gaining members, from what my reporters have heard the people across the country are not happy with them. They see them how the King does, as treasonous.”

“I heard one of your reporters talking, red-head, glasses- mentioned a Levri who wants to go undercover.”

“Yes, I axed the idea. While it would garner readership as well as get important insight on this group to the people, I am worried about Levri should he be found out. Top members went after the Queen, how would they react towards a reporter?”

“As the queen I agree with you. But as a former reporter, as Supergirl, I see his point. I know what the pursuit of knowledge is like. And he may disobey you and if he does I'd like to be informed.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand.”

“My husband wants to destroy anyone with ties to the radicals,” Kara said, “I'd hate for an innocent to get caught in the crossfire.”

“What do you think should be done with them? Off the record?”

“On Earth, they'd be put in federal prison, perhaps put to death, or tortured depending on who they attacked. On Krypton my mother would have exiled them, sent them to a prison in the phantom zone, a place I'm all to familiar with. I suggested, earlier today in fact, that we watch them, learn as much as we can, though clearly that didn't help us with the previous attack, before we open fire. I am worried about leaders becoming martyrs, about the people rising up against the king. My husband is more worried about...”

“About Brenham?” Kara narrowed her eyes.

“I've been a journalist for decades,” he said, “I have my own informants. Contacting Brenham is more difficult than you may realize and if the Ulodrins were smart, they wouldn't have attacked the castle but gone to someone with more power. They'd have found a way to let Brenham know about, well, your lineage.”

“Do you believe they will attempt to?”

“I don't know. Should I say yes to Levri, I can send any information your way,” he said.

“I'd appreciate that,” Kara responded, “And as thanks, let one of your reporters know they can have a personal interview with the queen about our plan with the planetary greenhouses.” He looked confused but shook his head then stood up when she did.

“You wouldn't be able to point me in a direction of the nearest cafe?” Kara asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I decided to upload a little early since I just finished writing the last chapter! I still have some editing to do as well as adding more scenes here and there before it's completely ready. I wanted to thank you for reading and liking and commenting on this story. I do plan to write another installment and I'll have more information on that later. For any of you who have read Be Spontaneous, the last chapter will be up soon! If I stick to a similar upload schedule of twice a week this story will be completely uploaded by late November. If you'd like to get to the ending a little quicker please let me know and maybe I'll update three times a week. Again, thank you so much for reading and please let me know your thoughts! - K


	44. Faye

Kara sat down at the end of the bar in the restaurant she'd been directed to, she could view the people in the restaurant and face the front door should she need to leave. She ordered a plate of fried food, something that was not allowed as part of her diet, and a soft drink.

“Let me guess, your doctor has you on a strict diet?” a woman asked sitting near Kara.

“Yeah,” she said, “Needed to get some actual food for once.”

“Have you had cravings?... I'm sorry, I'm a doctor, Faye, I have my patients keep a journal of their diet along with any cravings.” Kara then noticed the green scrubs the woman was wearing. They shook hands and Kara thought of a name she could give the doctor. She looked around and spotted the hospital on the opposite side of the street. And she recognized it from a visit that felt like years ago.

“Alura, you work at the hospital across the street?”

“Just got off, sort of,” she said, “You?”

“Government,” Kara said.

“You must have your hands full; with everything that happened.”

“The ones attacked ended up at your hospital. Were you there that night?”

“I was,” she said, “Queen helped save a lot of people. That's what they were all talking about, the patients.”

“They wouldn't have been in danger if-” but Kara stopped herself. If she worked for the government, she couldn't speak up against the Queen.

“There'd have been more bodies if it weren't for her,” the woman said, “Those radicals were probably just looking for any reason to attack since the former king who supported them is gone.”

“How do you know about that?”

“Patients talk,” she said, “How far along are you? Three months? Four maybe if you've lost weight instead of gained.

“Closer to four,” Kara said, “It's the stupid nausea.”

“Ignore the diet, eat what you want, in moderation,” she said, “I'm sorry. I'm sure you're tired of doctors. You just happened to end up at the place where they all come after work.”

“That's alright,” Kara said, “I mainly needed to get away from work.”

“Husband didn't want to join you?”

“Ever since the attack he's been overprotective,” Kara responded curling her fingers in hiding her ring.

“Spouses can be like that,” she said, “Were you there the day of the attack?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, “The others wanted to get me to a safe room because of my... they weren't happy I chose to stay and fight.”

“What'd you do before government?”

“Still in the government, but more so as a field agent.”

“Don't like being stuck behind a desk?”

“It's the worst but my husband- it's the safest choice,” Kara said finishing off her drink wishing for something stronger, “So, are you an OB/GYN?”

“Yes, I'm hoping to move to Algaria and help out the hospital there. I've got one patient who is due in the next eight weeks then I'm leaving. Maybe they'll be looking for field agents there.”

“I'm afraid that part of my life is over,” Kara said moving the cuff around her wrist.

“Sorry to hear that,” she said.

“So was my sister,” Kara responded, “Doesn't like the fact I chose a man over the job. I'm sorry, I'm oversharing. Does your job leave you much time for any hobbies?”

“When I get evenings off I try to see a show at the theatre. I nearly minored in it despite musicals have nothing to do with my career now.”

“I spent a lot of time in karaoke bars,” Kara said and Faye looked confused.

“Oh, I'm not from here, Nibiru that is,” she said.

“Were you part of the refugee program?” she asked and it was Kara's turn to look confused.

“The program that places other planet's refugees with host families to help with acclimation? I take it you married someone from the family?”

“Oh, yeah, the- the younger son,” she said making a mental note to find out about that later.

“So, what's karaoke?” Faye asked and Kara smiled as she explained to the woman what it was.

“I have a friend who would love to a open a karaoke bar,” she said, “Let me give you my number. We will have to get together, talk about this more, it'd be great to help lift spirits in the western provinces.” Kara looked at the phone number in her hand, Faye's name written above it.

“Wait, I don't know why I didn't see it before. I- I know you,” she said noticing Kara's ring.

“I just have one of those faces,” she said quickly as she placed the number in her bag and some money on the counter to cover the meal that Halisa had lent her.

“I really should be going,” Kara said then she moved. She was quick, despite not being able to take off in flight she knew out to navigate a crowd.

“Wait,” Faye said chasing after her. She grabbed Kara's wrist stopping her just as she started climbing fire exit stairs outside an apartment building a block away from the restaurant. In her hand she held Kara's wrist cuff.

“He doesn't know, they don't- I needed out,” she said, “You- you need to go. They'll question you. Go.”

“Your majesty-” Faye said.

“Go!” Kara exclaimed.

“It was nice meeting you,” Faye said as she turned and left still holding onto the cuff. Kara finished climbing the stairs and managed to get to the roof. It was filled with a garden, no one was around. She looked out onto the city, the lights lit up against the dark sky. She wished she'd spent time in the greenhouse. Wished she could fly again, instead of feeling the weight of gravity grounding her to this planet, to this life. She stood against the edge, placing her arms on the railing.

She remembered constantly being on rooftops on Earth. It's where she showed Winn who she was, where she fought Queen Rhea of Daxam, where as Supergirl she could watch the city should she not want to fly, except she always wanted to fly. That's all she wanted now.

“Your majesty,” Kara heard Carson asked. Of course. Liam couldn't have left, not unless he wanted the media to start asking questions.

“How upset is he?” she asked not turning around.

“He's worried,” he asked, “How'd you even leave?”

“I lived a double life as a superhero,” Kara said, “You think I don't know how to slip past a few guards keeping me captive?”

“I can give you a few more minutes,” he said.

“Thank you,” Kara said. They stood in silence for five minutes, Kara wiped a few tears away, and took a deep breath then turned around.

“Before we get back can I ask how you managed to shield your location?” Carson asked when they were in the car.

“I can't tell you that,” Kara said.

“Can you tell me what you did these past few hours?” he asked.

“I ate a meal and didn't immediately want to vomit,” Kara said as they stopped in front of the main doors.

Liam was waiting in the main hall as she entered. His hair wasn't perfectly combed back like usual and he'd just stopped pacing when he saw her. Then he ran forward and pulled her into his arms before she could get a word out.


	45. My Actions Speak Otherwise

Liam didn't walk after Kara as she left the room. They'd be arguing that night, why start now? Carson looked at Liam.

“Your highness,” he said, “How do you want to continue?”

“We won't. I need the newest report of the interrogation. Then I'll decide,”Liam groaned.

“The Queen does have a unique perspective when it comes to dealing with groups like the Ulodrins,” Carson said. Liam heard several intakes of breath around the table.

“I'm not going to allow the men who tried to kill her get away with what they've done.”

“I'm not suggesting you do,” Carson said, “But we have to figure out why our informants knew nothing about this attack. There were two dozen of the members who attacked but we know that's a fraction of the total number. We still don't know how they got a hold of the paralyzing gas. We need-”

“I know what needs to be done Carson!” Liam shouted then he looked at the others in the room, “Go! Get out!”

“You need to step back from this,” Carson said once the room was clear.

“How the hell do you suggest I do that? And why the hell should I?”

“Because your queen has. She doesn't take their attack personally,” he said, “Because she knows what it's like to be attacked. I agree with her idea on how to move forward and you should too. You are moving forward like your brother would have.”

“I'm not-”

“You are. You know it,” Carson cut him off, “And Kara will fight your choices should she disagree with them. She's not Esla.”

“You can't speak to me this way,” Liam said.

“Would you prefer Kara do it? Because she will,” Carson said, “And if you don't move in tandem, the people will begin to question her, possibly fear her. I know you don't want that.”

“She could have died, Carson,” Liam said sounding resigned.

“But she didn't and from what I've heard and seen from the footage, she fought like hell to make sure people didn't,” Carson said.

“Even when they fired that weapon she didn't stay down. She kept getting up, over and over,” he said.

“Sounds like someone else I know.”

“That was different, that was war,” Liam said.

“She's fought her fair share of battles. And we've both spared with her. We know what she's capable of once she has the strength of the yellow sun in her.”

“You really agree with her? About the Ulodrins?” Liam asked.

“I don't think going after them all with force will do much good. Declaring them a terrorist group will send a message, along with executing those who attacked. Moving with force is something Thom would have done. You told me you wanted to be a different King.”

“Let's deal with this tomorrow. I need to read that interrogation report. Who'd you talk to this time?”

“The only woman,” Carson said, “She said she'd wished she'd kill the Queen and her demonic child.”

“The execution needs to happen sooner rather than later,” he said, “I'll be working through dinner. Send word to the suite will you?”

Liam walked back to the suite having just finished his meal feeling guilty. He knew dinner would have been quiet with Kara but it could have been used as a moment for him to apologize. He threw her greatest fear in her face. And she'd been right in her retort. He'd researched the Nazis and the Neo-Nazis. No surprise, there was a portion of them who supported the deportation of aliens from Earth.

“Kara, I wanted to,” but he stopped seeing their parlor, what Lena had called their sitting room, empty. He picked up the note on the table. He made his way to the library to find that empty too. He spoke with one of the librarians and learned they had not seen Kara all day. He touched his tattoo and felt... nothing. Why didn't he feel her? He searched for Carson and told him that he didn't know where Kara was.

“We'll send a team out,” he said after it'd been determined she wasn't in the castle or on it's grounds.

“I want to go.”

“You can't, you know you can't. It'd raise too many questions.”

“Then you go, please Carson. I have no idea how long she's been gone. It could be hours.”

“We'll find her. We know she's on the planet, we'd have been notified if anything entered the atmosphere,” he said, “Go back to the suite, see if she left her phone.”

He returned to the suite and found her phone in the bedside table. He turned it on. There were over eight missed calls, all from Alex. He dialed the number and Kara's older sister appeared in the room.

“Kara, I'm sorry about-” but she stopped talking seeing it wasn't Kara in front of her but Liam.

“What happened?” Liam eventually asked.

“She told me about your offer,” she said, “The one you made months ago. And I, I reacted badly.”

“How long ago was this?” Liam asked running his hand through his hair.

“For you? Three hours ago, maybe four, why?”

“She's not in the castle,” he said.

“What about the tattoo, Kara said you guys can track each other through it, sense each other.”

“She's found a way to block it,” he said, “Probably figured out how months ago when she was being Supergirl on this planet.”

“She was lying about being happy there, wasn't she?” Alex asked.

“She's tried but I haven't helped that much,” Liam confessed.

“Neither have I,” Alex said.

“She mentioned you told her to be happy, not long after she got here. That she shouldn't be miserable here.”

“My actions speak otherwise, clearly,” Alex muttered.

“Did she run on Earth too?”

“I don't think this is Kara running.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Kara knows how to hide, to blend in, but as a Queen she can't for too long. Maybe she just needed out for a while. Kara... she had the chance of running on Earth before she became Supergirl. She didn't run.”

“We've both remained within the palace walls since the attack.”

“Kara's used to the outside, to people, and to crowds. Maybe she needed to be around people.”

“She was nearly killed.”

“Kara dealt with that every week since she became Supergirl, her uncle tried to kill her, Agent of Liberty, Lex Luthor, her ex's mom, um every alien her mother sentenced to prison, Lillian Luthor, it's a laundry list of people Liam. Kara has experience with people wanting to kill her, she knows how to handle it. And if she'd hidden every single time it happened here, she'd have never left her apartment.” There was a moment of silence. Alex noticed how exhausted the man looked and wondered if he'd been sleeping. Liam hadn't. He worked late then stayed up at night. He would watch Kara, double check the doors to the balcony and to the ones in the nursery, and keep in contact with the guards at all time.

“Why- Why'd she chose you? Why choose Nibiru instead of Earth?” Alex finally asked.

“I don't think she chose Nibiru over Earth. I think she knew the damage there'd be should she leave. She was thinking about the people.”

“I wish she'd thought about herself,” Alex grumbled. Liam did too but he admired her choice. Admired her protection of people she hardly knew and still didn't know.

“She wanted to leave,” he said, “To return to Earth. I was wrong for bringing up the law.”

“Has it been repealed?” Alex asked.

“There was something I didn't tell her about the law,” he said not answering the question.

“What's that?” Alex asked.

“The law specifies a male heir, that a male heir has to be conceived within the first year,” he said.

“And you don't know,” she said, “So if she has a girl there's a chance-”

“Brenham is looming closer than we'd like. While we won't take action should they go after planets not protected by us, the Council fears we may not even have the option. We fear they'll want more than us to step aside.”

“Kara, the other Kryptonians,” Alex replied.

“Should anything happen... she will be safer on Earth. We thought it'd be years but we fear months, maybe a couple of years.”

“Kara hasn't said anything.

“She doesn't know. I've only recently received word from the Council... and we had the Ulodrins to deal with.”

“She'll want to stay, to fight,” Alex said, “Please, don't let her.”

“I'll do everything in my power to get her to leave. I wish I had fought even coming to Earth. Left everything the way it was.”

“There was someone here who wanted her dead. She'd have won the fight but who knows about the cost it would have taken.”

“She's paid too much of a cost coming here,” he said, “I'm at fault for it.” Alex didn't say anything to this comment. She watched him run his fingers over his tattoo trying to feel her presence. But there was still nothing. He couldn't feel her heartbeat.

“You care about her,” Alex said but there was a note of surprise in the comment. She thought, at least at the moment, that he just felt guilty for ripping Kara out of her life on Earth.

“My actions speak otherwise,” he said. He heard another woman's voice in the background, it was Alex's partner. He'd met her but couldn't remember her name. She was telling Alex to come to bed. That they had to be up in a few hours. So, she should at least get a few hours of sleep. Alex began to argue with the woman but Liam told her he'd call when Kara came back home.

Then Liam sat in silence waiting until he felt Kara's presence. Then he felt her heartbeat. She was scared or... no her heartbeat slowed down. It was steady now. She was okay.

Twenty minutes later he was standing in the main hall waiting. The doors opened and Kara walked in, a brown wig and a pair of sunglasses in her hand. He pulled her into his arms and they fell to the floor.


	46. Trapped

Kara opened her mouth but didn't get a chance to say anything as Liam nearly ran forward and pulled her into his arms. Most of the guards and Carson left them alone in the hall.

“I was so worried,” he finally said.

“I'm okay Liam,” Kara said waiting for him to let her go. Liam heard no emotion in her voice. No relief, no joy, no sadness or annoyance at being back. There was nothing.

“You were gone for hours,” he said finally squeezing her tighter against him.

“I promise to tell you about everything... tomorrow,” she said.

Kara and Liam sat across from each other at breakfast in an awkward silence. She had woken up before him and programmed Faye's number into her phone though she was unsure if she'd use it. She hadn't mentioned anything to Liam about what she did yesterday and he hadn't asked. She picked over her food, bland and different from her husband's, which looked more appetizing.

“Are you still nauseous?” he asked breaking the silence.

“Your food looks better,” she said and he gladly swapped the plates. A few minutes later he pushed the plate of her food away.

“No wonder you are losing weight, this food is awful,” he said then tried the green drink that Kara was supposed to have with every meal only to spit it out in disgust and Kara let out a soft laugh. Then they fell back into their silence.

“I spoke with Alex yesterday,” Liam finally said.

“What?”

“When you were gone I called her. You missed around ten calls from her.”

“I should have called her last night,” Kara said rushing into her room to grab her phone.

“I called her when you were in the shower. She was leaving for work and said she'd call you.” Kara put down the phone and sat on the bed.

“Kara?” Liam asked standing in the doorway.

“I just- I needed to get out. I couldn't breathe Liam. You can't expect me to hide away every time something bad happens.”

“That's what Alex said.”

“I'm trying, I know it's nearly been a year,” Kara said.

“One of my advisors told me it could take up to three for you to adjust,” he said, “There's no rush.”

“I don't have that time, this baby will be here in a few months.

“You don't have to be adjusted by then.”

“Shouldn't I at least be happy?”

“Esla was never happy to be pregnant,” he said.

“It's not about the baby,” Kara said though she knew it was part of it, frustrated how everything circled back to her unhappiness regarding her life here. She'd just have to do better, to try harder. She needed to find something to look forward to. Her mother would be visiting. And she had her greenhouse project to work on. And there was the baby. Her and Liam's baby. The people were excited about the baby.

“Do you want to rest today? We don't have to talk about what happened yesterday, not now.”

“You can't kill them all,” Kara said.

“What?”

“The Ulodrins,” she said, “You can't kill all of them.”

“We don't have to talk-”

“Liam, using force isn't going to-”

“I know. Okay. You were right. I shouldn't have said what I did yesterday. I was wrong. It was unfair, what I did. Carson said you knew more about this kind of stuff than I do and he was right. You should have a voice in the decision.”

“Is this because I took off yesterday?”

“No, I decided that before I learned you had left.” Kara didn't apologize for leaving. She knew she should have told someone but she knew had she done so she'd still be stuck in the castle. She was sorry for worrying Liam but not about leaving.

“Do you really feel trapped here?” he asked. The question encompassed so much Kara wasn't sure where to start.

“Do I make you feel trapped?” Liam asked when she didn't answer right away.

“Leaving yesterday... it wasn't because I felt trapped,” Kara finally answered though it wasn't entirely true.

“You said you couldn't breathe being here. The sounds a lot like feeling trapped.”

“How can I be expected to be Queen if I don't get to know the people?” she asked pivoting. Liam frowned.

“There are other ways to get to know them, through virtual reality like we suggested a while ago.”

“That sounds great for speeches and to show people the progress in the western provinces. It won't work for actually getting to know them. I was able to get to know the people of Earth by-” but she stopped. She had gotten to know them through saving them, through being Supergirl. She felt like she belonged on Earth when she became Supergirl. She'd couldn't be a superhero here. There were other ways to do good. She knew that. And she'd had to overcome restrictions on Earth just like she was here. Kara fell into silence again. Neither of them said anything until their was a knock on the door. It was Halisa.

“Oh, your majesty, pardon me I didn't-”

“It's alright,” he said, “I was just going.” He kissed Kara and pulled her into his arms.

“I'll see you at lunch,” he said.

“You didn't get in any trouble for what happened yesterday did you?” Kara asked Halisa as she was changing behind the partition.

“No, they just questioned me is all, your highness,” she said.

“Good, and thank you again. Getting out- it helped,” Kara responded.

“Where did you go to eat?” Halisa asked.

“This place called Orlan's,” she said.

“That's near the hospital,” Halisa said, “It's where Brigan went when he was released.”

“How is he? And the rest of your family?”

“He's adjusting, your majesty, and my parents are grateful to you and the King, we all are.” Kara then told Halisa that she could go for the day. She told her she'd be spending it resting. She didn't speak at dinner and went to sleep early. The following morning she went about her schedule.

Kara laid on the examination table her shirt up as Dr. Willdridge applied a cool gel onto her abdomen.

“How's the morning sickness?” she asked.

“Better,” Kara said remembering her meal from Orlan's, “I uh- actually wanted to talk to you about my diet.”

“I heard you had dinner outside the palace the other day,” she said.

“Yes, I can't have the food you've included in my diet anymore. No more of those green drinks.”

“Alright,” she said, “But I insist everything is written down and I see you for weekly reports.” Kara was about to say something more but stopped, hearing a heartbeat. She looked over at the monitor seeing the baby inside her.

“It's healthy?” Kara asked, “The paralyzing gas-”

“All the tests I've run have concluded that the baby is healthy. You did the right thing going to the greenhouse. Had you not, the gas would have reached you and it's likely you would have miscarried. And had any of the rebels reached you... if you'd like to spend more time in the greenhouse you have my permission. It'll help strengthen your baby _if_ anything is wrong.” The baby moved on the monitor. It didn't appear paralyzed like Kara feared.

“Can I- can I stay here for a while?” she asked forgetting about the rest of her schedule for the day.

“Of course,” the doctor answered. Kara thought about the list of things to look forward to, to be excited about, what the people were excited about. She remembered telling her mother that she wasn't ready, wasn't happy about this baby. Liam had told her in the nursery he could see her holding the baby. But she still couldn't. She remembered when she first visited Argo and saw the life she'd missed out on. It was one she thought, at the time, she could still have. But it didn't work out. She wasn't ready to have a quiet, family oriented life yet. She wasn't ready for it now either.

At lunchtime Liam sat next to Kara, eating his meal as she looked at the monitor. She hadn't moved from the spot in several hours.

“Are you happy, Liam?” He stopped eating and looked at her.

“About the baby, I mean?” Kara asked. He looked at the monitor now, listened to its' heartbeat, then reached out and touched her abdomen.

“Of course I am, Kara,” he said but she was unsure of the truth in his words.


	47. More Joy than Fear

Liam sat in one of the board rooms reading over more information about the Ulodrins. Despite Kara and Carson being right about how they should be handled, he wanted to hunt them all down and kill every single one of them. Kara had told him everything about her outing, as they were now calling it, and he knew that she still felt trapped in the castle. He wanted her to be able to go out more often, to meet the people personally but he couldn't approve of anything until he knew she'd be safe.

She told him she didn't want half a dozen guards following her around at all times. There were always at least three within the castle following her which she hated. She spent most of her time in the greenhouses and in the library. All he wanted was for her to be happy. He thought about suggesting she talk to someone again and that he would go with her. He didn't like how quiet she'd become. It was a pattern, he knew, soon she'd find a project and become happy. Then she would fall silent again. Guilt ate at his insides. If he hadn't brought her here, she'd be happy on Earth, she'd be safe. But he knew, had he'd done so, her happiness would be taken from her in the worst way possible. She'd become a soldier for Brenham. The same would happen to her mother and the others on Argo. He knew she knew that too. She'd lived through the moment she was ripped from Earth. She knew this was the best option. For Earth and for her. He could see her trying but failing to be happy. She would bring up the greenhouses only to stop talking after a few minutes. She would bring up her mother visiting, then stop talking, when she remembered why she was coming to Rifar.

She had asked him if he was happy about the baby. He had told her yes. He was happy about the baby. He wanted children. He wanted to fill the castle with their noise. He had grown up surrounded by servants but he had no siblings to play with as his brother was often shadowing his father. But, like Kara, he was unsure if he was ready. He remembered the argument he'd had with Kara months ago. He had asked if getting pregnant in their first year of marriage was best for her. And here they were, still in their first year of marriage, preparing for a birth of a child. Kara had now been living on Nibiru for just under ten months and was nearly four months pregnant. And they were bringing a child into a world he was unsure was safe for it. Had the Ulodrins not attacked the castle he'd have thought different. He'd feel more joy than fear.

Kara only felt fear, no it wasn't fear, it was depression, the absence of joy. She was not happy being pregnant, she was not happy living on Nibiru, being separated from her family, or being queen when she'd rather be Supergirl. There were no other viable options. Maybe if instead of queen she was a lady, it'd be different. She wouldn't be so restricted in her actions. She could not be a reporter like she once had but she could use what powers remained to help people. But even then, that would not have been a possibility. Someone within the castle had leaked the queen-to-be's identity just before he'd left.

He remembered how focused she was on having an heir when she'd first arrived. She had been right, it was a way to solidify his place on the throne even more than it already was. She'd seen Esla and her daughters as an example of what could happen should she fail to produce a male and he die. But his brother had died in battle when he'd been on the throne for decades. He didn't plan on involving Rifar in any wars, he wanted to avoid them at all costs. He didn't want his children to face war like he'd had. Having a child would not only further solidify his place on the throne but solidify protection for Earth and Argo from Brenham.

If Brenham attacked Earth or Argo they'd be breaking their peace with Nibiru. But it could be years until Nibiru could fight them and be sure they'd win. Brenham could attack Argo or Earth and Nibiru would lose hundreds of thousands of soldier fighting them and they could still fail. He knew the weapons they had and knew why Nibiru protected who they could. Knew why Kara feared them and insisted her sister did too. The reason for the alliances was to protect these planets should Brenham attempt galaxy control. He feared Kara would not stand for them taking over other planets. That she'd want to get involved despite knowing it would be pointless. She'd want to protect others. That it would not be enough to protect the people of Earth, of Argo, of Nibiru. He feared he'd fail to convince her it was enough.

“Liam,” the King looked up to see Carson.

“What it is it Carson?”

“Another one of the rebels has decided to start speaking. He says he'll only speak to Kara.”

“Not happening,” Liam said, “He tried to kill her.”

“He won't be able to harm her.”

“She can make decisions regarding our actions towards them but I won't put her in harms way. I've already done that too many times.”

“Sir, if she finds out how do you think she'll react that she wasn't even asked?”

“Fine,” Liam sighed, “She'll most likely be in the library”

“I want to speak with them,” Kara said after Liam told her about the Ulodrin.

“I'd like to be in the room with you then,” he said.

“You can observe from outside the room.”

“Kara-”

“He won't speak to me otherwise,” she said, “I've interrogated people before.”

“He's not like the others you've-”

“Yes, he is. I know what I'm doing Liam. You have to trust me.”

“I do trust you. I don't trust them.”

“He can't hurt me,” she said, “Liam, I'll be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Just a few more weeks and this story will be completed. I wish Supergirl was getting more seasons, as it's just been announced that season 6 will be it's last, but I suppose that's what fanfiction is for. Please let me know your thoughts and I'll update soon! - K


	48. Interrogation

Kara hadn't been down to the dungeons of the castle. It was modernized like the rest of the castle. It reminded her a lot like the prison cells within the DEO. One of the head guards walked her and Liam down the hall. They stopped outside a door and Liam turned to Kara.

“Are you sure I can't go in with you?” he asked.

“If you go in with me it ensures he won't speak to me,” Kara replied.

“If he does anything, says something I don't-”

“Liam,” Kara cut in, “It'll be fine.” Kara turned around and walked through the door.

A bloodied man was tied to a chair. He looked up at Kara and smiled and she saw he was missing two teeth.

“I heard you wanted to speak with me,” she said sitting across the table from him. He wore the same outfit as the other attackers from that day over a week ago. Kara wore a dark purple gown and her crown. Liam insisted she remind him who she was, the rightful Queen of Rifar.

“You should know my husband wants every member of your group killed,” Kara said.

“Because you have him under your spell,” he said.

“Actually, I don't want more bloodshed. I do believe the ones who attacked the castle should be punished. You killed three dozen guards and another sixteen of the staff.”

“They've already told me what my group accomplished,” he said.

“Did they tell you how you left children fatherless? How on of the servants you killed was in the process of applying to school? The blood of citizens of your country are on your hands. You are a traitor!”

“The King is a traitor! Marrying an outsider, the powers you possess are un-Godly,” he said.

“For your God! I worship Rao, Cythonna, Mordo, I believe in the Gods of Krypton,” she said.

“Gods that punished you for the magic your people used. Krypton died because of-”

“I don't possess magic,” she said, “I won't listen to you speak such falsehoods.”

“I saw you. I saw what you did. You were immune to the paralyzing gas. You set banners aflame. Killed a man with just moving your hands, you didn't even touch him. That power is dangerous. You are dangerous.”

“I am powerful but not because of my powers. I am your Queen. I am the only thing stopping the King from killing everyone you love.” He flinched. He didn't know. He didn't know that his family along with the families of the other attackers had been brought in for questioning. Liam, along with his security members wanted to know how deep the betrayal went.

“Your family is in another room. Your wife has been questioned. They want to know if they believe what you do. If they see me as dangerous. Your daughter-”

“Don't speak of my daughter!”

“You tried to kill me,” she said her voice dropping low, “And the child I carry inside. Your wife, when she learned of your actions, that you were involved with the attack, she cried. She begged that your daughter be sparred for the actions of her father. She begged for protection from you, from the Ulodrins. Your daughter was questioned too.”

“Stay away-”

“Like you stayed away from the people you killed? If you really cared for your family you wouldn't have volunteered to attack your king. You wouldn't have committed treason.”

“We didn't even do that much damage. There were two dozen of us.”

“You paralyzed people then killed them when they could do nothing to defend themselves.”

“I meant to say we didn't do the damage we set out to do,” he said. And Kara, like Liam, questioned whether they had more planned. Was there more damage, as the traitor put it, coming?

“Like I'd tell you what else we have planned,” he sneered as if he could read her thoughts.

“You were the one who wanted to speak to me,” she said, “Why?”

“I wanted to see the witch the King married,” he said then spat on Kara. Before she could react the door burst open and the man's chair was knocked back. Then he was being lifted, Liam's hand around his neck.

“Liam, stop!” Kara exclaimed. He let the man fall to the ground.

“I want to speak to his wife and daughter,” she said glaring at the man.

Kara sat in another interrogation room across from the man's wife and daughter. The woman was polite and nothing like her husband. She had fear in her eyes. The girl sat unbraiding and re-braiding her hair when Kara had first entered but upon seeing the Queen couldn't keep her eyes off her. She was twelve years old. She knew about what her father did. She knew he committed treason. Kara knew that despite knowing what her father did was wrong, Liam's security team worried she'd join the Ulodrins due to their actions against her father.

“I didn't know my husband was involved with that group,” she said before Kara could ask her anything.

“We know,” Kara said.

“I don't support his involvement, his actions,” she said, “I don't believe what they're saying. I don't think you're-”

“We know,” Kara said.

“Then why are we still here?”

“We are afraid that once you return home, members of your husband's group will come looking for you.”

“So I'm just supposed to stay here?”

“No,” Kara said, “For you're safety you'll be moved.”

“Why are you telling me this? Why not send in someone who works with the national security team?”

“I just came from speaking with your husband,” Kara said, “I want to give you an opportunity: a chance to say goodbye.”

“Are you going to execute my father?” the girl asked.

“Skyler,” her mother said in a warning tone, “We've discussed this.”

“I know what he did was wrong but-”

“Skyler, he killed people,” her mother said. Kara knew that if someone attempted to assassinate the President of the US, or their partner, the person would most likely be executed after they were tortured for information.

“I apologize your majesty,” she said still glaring at her daughter then turned back to Kara.

“I'll leave you to think about the offer,” she said standing up.

“I wanted to congratulate you,” the mother said and Kara turned confused.

“About the child,” she said.

“Oh,” Kara said, “Thank you.” She smiled the left the room.

Liam was walking down the corridor wiping his hands with a handkerchief. Kara noticed, as she got closer, it was covered with blood. She wondered if he'd broken his nose. She grabbed his hand.

“It wasn't okay what he did to you,” he said defending his actions.

“Should she want to say goodbye you need to make sure he's cleaned up,” she said, “And at the execution, he needs to look healthy.”

“I don't see why him looking good matters.”

“It will to the people. To them seeing a man with no bruises will show that the people he helped killed didn't even get to fight. News has already leaked about the paralyzing gas. They know that the victims had no chance. Seeing this man will only confirm it.”

“How do you know this?”

“The library has diaries of past royals,” Kara said, “Your fourth great-uncle executed a number of people as traitors against his brother.”


	49. Execution

Kara sat next to Liam in front of a large crowd. Most of its' members were relatives of those killed in what was called the Ulodrin Massacre. Kara could easily spot the reporters thinking about who she'd be at this event on Earth. Would she be Kara Danvers CatCo reporter or Supergirl? Behind or in front of the camera? Would she support the execution of these men or plead to avoid their deaths? What if Lex Luthor were one of the men? His death would mean her and Clark's safety, along with safety of hundreds of other aliens on Earth. But was executing him the right choice? Lena would think so. She killed him before and Kara knew she would do so again if it meant protecting the public.

The men and one woman who were being executed, six of the twelve whom survived, were sitting in metal chairs on a wooden platform. Normally, Liam told Kara, when someone was executed by the crown it wasn't so public. They were going to be electrocuted. Their deaths would be painful which was what the people wanted. Liam had asked her how is uncle had executed people publicly as the crown hadn't done so in over a century. She'd thought about lying, thought about telling him something that wouldn't be so agonizing to watch. But she showed him the diary. Entry after entry described traitor's deaths. The first two had been detailed then each sequential one less with the last few simply stating: Executed traitors by electrocution.

She knew Calwin's family was not in the crowd nor were they watching the broadcast. They were currently being escorted to their new home. Had Calwin spoken out of turn when saying goodbye they both would be there. Liam had used the threat as a deterrent should he attempt to tell Skyler that the crown was in the wrong, that she should join the Ulodrin, or that the queen was indeed a witch. The conversation amongst the families who said goodbye to each other were heavily monitored and the warning of what would happen should they deviate from what was allowed, was given to everyone.

Kara watched as the executioners checked the binding of each of those to be killed. She remembered telling Alex what was to be done to them and noticed how her sister held back her retorts. Kara knew she thought it barbaric and while she agreed with her, she was there when they filled the castle with blood. They did not give their victims a chance to fight. They paralyzed them which allowed them to watch as they and the people around them were killed, their throats slit open with a knife. Halisa had been one of the lucky ones. The gas had filled the main hall first. Then it filled the wings starting with the east wing where all the offices of the Royal security was. Luckily the rebels were still in the main hall and were too focused on getting to her and Liam, to attack the men and women that agreed with Liam on wiping out the Ulodrins. The gas had made its' way to the kitchens, the servant hall, and the family wing before it'd been cleared out and replaced with the knock out gas. Halisa had left the seamstresses room which was just west of the main hall when she was nearly killed. Had Kara not acted when she did the girl would be dead. She learned that her parents wanted her to return home and find work there. While it was an honor to be the Queen's lady-in-waiting, one of the head maids, it was not worth the sacrifice of her life. Kara had told Halisa she was free to leave. She could find a new lady-in-waiting, Esla had multiple of them as did each of her daughters, though Kara knew they were horrible gossips and not as trustworthy as Halisa.

Halisa had remained in the castle today focusing on Kara's schedules for the next week. Kara remained quiet as Liam stood, moving toward the microphone. She could see her husband's face replace the images of the traitors on the monitors.

“We stand here today to hold the traitors and the rest of their group responsible for the deaths of...” and he continued to speak every name of the victim slaughtered, “If it were not for your Queen's actions the list of the victims would be longer. Perhaps my name would be among them. I've received messages from members of the Ulodrins that these were radical's actions. They told me these were the actions of the few,” he said. The people in the crowd began to mutter.

“I am giving the rest of the Ulodrins a chance at redemption, they've been branded a terrorist group. They are being given an opportunity to disband. Should they not do so, should they attack anyone associated with the crown or anyone amongst the people, they will be persecuted to the full extent of the law. They will be given the same treatment as these traitors here,” he said gesturing to the five men and one woman sitting in front of the crowd.

“At the behest of your Queen, they were given a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. The Queen showed these monsters mercy but I will not,” he said, “These traitors will soon draw their last breath. They will not be allowed to hurt anyone again. They will not be given any last words. Their last act will be a failed attempt at the life of the Queen, their last act was an act of treason. And to any of the Ulodrin terrorists, listen well. I will not show mercy, should you even speak out against the Queen, the crown, in any matter, should you attempt anything- you will be hunted down like the monsters you are.”

Then the King sat back down and nodded at the executioners. Kara watched as the electricity ran along the cords, snaking around its's victims. They jerked and would have screamed if not for their gags. Kara fought her body from flinching, from watching their pain. She fought speaking out, from stopping their pain, stopping their deaths. She had told Liam to go ahead and execute them, so he would not hunt down all of the Ulodrins like he'd wanted to. Now she sat next to him, showing no emotion, as these traitors died painful deaths. She had listened to one of Liam's security council members suggest they die as those they killed died. Paralyze them with the gas they used then slit their throats. But Liam had said he didn't want blood spilled in that matter. He didn't want that way of execution to be acceptable because that way of dying was even more barbaric than how they were currently being executed now.

None of the members spoke directly to her though they did turn to see her response but she had remained quiet while they talked. She had said her piece and she had helped the families of the traitors say goodbye. All of them were being moved around Rifar. And like the Ulodrins, they would be watched. The terrorists had not met up since the attack however. Nor had there been any communication amongst its members.

At dinner that evening Liam shoved his plate of food away from him. It landed on the floor, the plate shattering and the red strawberry puree that topped the pie pooled into a puddle. Kara wondered if he saw red blood. The blood of his subjects he'd failed to save. She had hoped that the Ulodrin's execution would help him. He did not sleep much though it'd been several weeks and there was no worry of another attack. He wanted them all dead. He didn't care what the smart decision was, he didn't care who was guilty or not. To him everyone in that group was guilty, to him they weren't just behind the attack on the castle but the reason why Rifar had gone to war with Luxo. His brother believed their outlandish beliefs. No where in the religion they practiced in Rifar was there even mention of magic. He'd read and reread their holy book and spoke with religious scholars. Many of them even appeared on talk shows disavowing the Ulodrins. Their beliefs of magic is thought to come from a different faith, an ancient one that from what they thought, no one believed in anymore.

“Liam?” Kara asked her voice soft. She moved out of her seat and kneeled in front of him avoiding the mess. She grabbed his shaking hands and looked up at him seeing the tears falling down his cheeks. She wiped them away then suggested they go to bed.

During the night she woke up colder than usual to see the doors to the balcony open. The weather had grown cold, particularly at night as winter loomed closer. Though it was still too warm to snow she knew the first snowfall would be a reminder the baby would be here soon. Liam was sitting outside overlooking the city. Kara spotted the drink on the table next to him, mainly empty. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

“You should come to bed,” she said, “Try to sleep.” Liam said nothing but returned to their bed. Kara curled up against him, resting her head on his chest which was cold. She felt his hand on her stomach.

“Dr. Willdridge said they can hear our voice now,” she said.


	50. Appointments

Kara sat next to Liam on a loveseat across a therapist. One of his advisors suggest he see someone since he was not sleeping. And Liam asked Kara to come with him. She still felt wary around the idea of a therapist but she wasn't going for herself, she was going for Liam. Across from them was a grey haired man with a notepad. He could see that Kara was uncomfortable in the room. He knew Kryptonian's perspective on therapy. He knew that Kryptonians were proud. He could also see that Liam was not present. He'd worked with the king before, after the war he met with him often. When the attack first happened he waited for Liam to come see him. He knew that Dr. Willdridge, the royal medical physician, wanted Kara to also see a therapist months ago. It was well known in the castle that despite the upcoming birth of a baby, the queen was not excited. He thought it was gossip, that it was a judgement against her but sitting here know he saw that it wasn't.

Regardless of the pregnancy, she was not happy. She was still adjusting to life on Nibiru. He'd worked with refugees. Many of them had married into their host families. It was originally suggested years ago as a way to help them adjust to life on a strange planet. And it'd become something common now, that was still criticized. “We can not send the message that for a safe haven on our planet, these people must marry one of our own,” he'd heard from a colleague. Kara had been placed in a similar situation but most aliens adjusted within a year of arriving. Though, for people with a lot of pride for their previous planet, or in Kara's case, planets, adjustment took longer. She'd been on this planet for just over ten months, nearing a year.

He wanted to help her but he knew at the moment, the focus must be on the King and if he could eventually shift focus onto Kara, he would try.

“I don't want to medicate you, your majesty,” he said, “I'd rather find out why you aren't sleeping then go from there.”

“You've been through, both of you, several stressful events recently. You've had to make some difficult decisions.”

“Executing those traitors wasn't a difficult decision,” Liam said, “They attacked my castle, tried to kill my wife.”

“Your comfortable in the decision?” he asked.

“Killing the people who tried to killed Kara? Of course.”

“How long were they interrogated before their execution?”

“Two weeks,” he said, “Which is longer than I found necessary.”

“You wanted them dead the morning after,” Kara said, “All of the Ulodrins.”

“Yes, just because we haven't heard anything it doesn't mean they won't try attacking again. Better to eliminate all of them.”

“We've talked about this you can't just-”

“I know! I know! You're right but it doesn't change the fact that I want them all dead.”

“They're not going to come after me,” she said.

“You don't know that! We have to be ready should they-”

“We can't be ready if you aren't sleeping,” Kara said, “We can't just worry and wait for something to happen. The Ulodrins aren't Brenham.” Liam grew quiet.

“Have we heard from Brenham?” she asked, “What haven't you told me, Liam?”  
“Have members of the Ulodrin contacted Brenham?” she asked her voice rising.

“No!” he said, “No. The Council's learned...” he stopped and looked at the therapist who had cleared his throat.

“This isn't the place,” he said to Kara.

“Your majesty, is it the fear of the Ulodrins that's been causing your sleep problems?” the therapist asked, “Or Brenham?”

“Brenham will always be something in the back of my mind but at the moment no. The Ulodrins were able to get into the most secure building in the country. And they killed people without a second's thought. If they were able to attack us what's stopping them from attacking other government buildings?”

“From what I've learned you've done all you can to prevent another attack,” he replied.

“I fear another war,” he finally said, “But one that will rip my country apart from the inside.”

“You fear growing support of the terrorist group.”

“So few people managed to do so much harm, if next time there's more people...” he ran his hands through his hair.

“The people don't support this group, they condemn them,” Kara said, “They killed over two dozen people who were only doing their jobs. They're not going to attack-”

“We can't know that Kara!”

“If you don't get some sleep you won't be in any shape to fight them. This baby will be here in five months, probably less. It'll be taking all of our energy then, shouldn't we get some sleep now until we can't? You need to stop worrying about what might not come to pass.”

“I can't!”

“Maybe you should take something to help you sleep,” she said, “You've barely slept the last few weeks. You need it, Liam.”

“I'll be fine. I've gone with little sleep before.”

“Actually, your highness, I agree with the queen,” he said, “Generally I don't like prescribing medication but right now I find it necessary. I'll have my assistant drop it off tonight. Take it an hour before you go to bed. I want to see you this time in two weeks if that works into your schedule.”

“It will,” Kara said answering for Liam. The therapist stopped Kara before she had a chance to leave.

“Your majesty, have you thought of speaking with someone?”

“I don't need, Kryptoians don't-” she stopped.

“I have a colleague who has worked with refugees,” he said, “It's not easy moving from one planet to another. You don't have to hide your refugee status here like you did on Earth.”

“I'm well aware,” Kara said dryly.

“I can have someone come in today,” he said. “If you'd feel more comfortable with the king there with-”

“I don't really need to talk to anyone,” she said.

“I don't think it'll do any harm should you do so,” he said, “After today if you don't want to see them you don't have to.”

“Fine,” Kara said.

Kara sat in the same room a few hours later. She had cut her tours checking on the greenhouses progress short. A woman sat in front of her. Unlike Liam's therapist she was younger, older than Kara but still younger than the man she'd met earlier today. Her hair was dark red and she wore blue glasses. Kara recalled her former boss, Ms Grant, saw a therapist weekly, sometimes biweekly. She penciled in the name quite often to Ms Grant's schedule. She hadn't seen her in several years though they'd corresponded through email. She currently had several unopened emails from her.

“I'm Dr. Bryn Orman, your majesty,” the therapist introduced herself. She had a blue notepad in front of her. Kara saw her name on top of it in a cursive script along with the date: 21-5- 4936. The months in fall, like the months in summer were five weeks long. Winter and spring were four weeks a piece. They were roughly halfway through the current month.

“You can just call me Kara,” Kara finally said though she doubted it'd make a difference since Halisa didn't call her it.

“Okay, Kara,” she said, “So, you've nearly been on Nibiru for a year.”

“A year, I can't believe it's been nearly a year,” Kara said.

“How's that year been for you?”

“Different then life on Earth,” Kara said, “I wasn't a queen on Earth.”

“No, you were a superhero,” she responded, “You saved people. I also know you were a reporter.”

“And now I'm a Queen and a wife and a soon to be mother,” she said.

“Is that all you see yourself as?”

“Sometimes.”

“You don't sound happy about any of that.”

“It's just not how I pictured my life turning out.”

“Being Queen? Or becoming a wife and mother? Or being a refugee on another planet?” Kara was silent at this.

“It's common for refugees to marry not long after arriving to Nibiru. There have been some studies to suggest it assists in development. They marry into a family that they've been placed with and some in the process create a new one with their partner. It is a practice that has been around in Rifar and other countries for centuries,” she said, “Though not all my colleagues agree with it.”

“I've learned about the host family program,” Kara said, “Is it by the refugees choice or are they forced into marriage?”

“In the early years it was too common to be by choice. Today we are coming across few cases of marriage. The ones that are forced, well divorce usually follows. But the case is different for you. At twelve years old you agreed to marry the prince of Rifar to spare Krypton. Then, despite Krypton's death, you honored the arrangement, protecting Earth.”

“I know what I did,” Kara said.

“Do you regret your choice?”

“I can't change my choices,” Kara said, “I did the best I could at the time and now there's nothing I can do to change my actions.”

“But would you? Is there anything you'd do differently?”

“I don't see the point in dwelling on the past.”

“But you have,” she said, “It's preventing you from enjoying your life here. What choice do you wish you could change?”

“What does it matter? Any choice I could have made would have ended up in disaster. I might have had another ten or fifteen years on Earth but my sister would have ended up dead and I'd have been taken away. If I'd said no as a kid, Krypton would have died around me. Saying yes was the right choice, and I've spent too long trying to explain that to my sister, I don't need to explain that with you.”

“No, you don't,” she said, “But I was thinking about the choice his highness offered you. The one about you getting to go home and it still remaining protected from Brenham.”

“How do you know about that?” Kara asked. Her therapist picked up on the fear in her voice and then Kara stood up backing away.

“The King told me,” she said, “He spoke with me about the law, brought up your fears of the damage it could do should the public find out. I have experience in relationship therapy and he trusted I not speak about it outside you and him.”

“Are you going to tell me I made the wrong choice?” Kara asked. Though Alex had apologized for her reaction when Kara told her, Kara thought about how if she knew the choice she made was wrong, it'd be in the forefront of her mind every time she spoke with Alex. She'd be reminded of it when she held the baby that was inside her in her arms.

“The law is antiquated. For most of the families of Rifar, having a male son is no more or less important than having a daughter. And having a child, or conceiving one, within the first year of marriage is uncommon for many couples. Recently, since the war ended, more couples have picked up traveling. They are not currently interested in starting a family right away. Though I'm sure there are some couples, most likely in-law families, that would want to utilize the law. And the more families that used it, the worse our society would become. The population count would drop and eventually there is a possibility that the country would die off.”

“Wait, what do you mean a son? I thought the law was just about having a child?” she asked.

“The law specifies a male heir, as is custom for kings who wish to continue their reign on the thrown. Their lineage is passed down through a male, not a female.” Kara felt her throat go dry and she remembered Lena bringing up divorce. She remembered refusing to shuttle her child between planets. But what did it matter now? The law had been repealed.

“So, I know,” Kara said, “I made the right choice. No one will be hurt.”

“What about you? Your friends and family back on Earth?”

“They're safe without me there,” Kara said, “And I'm fine here.”

“You put people ahead of you, the many over the one. Why?”

“It's what I've always done.”

“When did that start?”

“When my parents sent me to Earth... it wasn't just for my safety. I had to protect my cousin. That was my job. Then it became protecting Earth and has remained about protecting Earth since then.” “Now it's about Nibiru,” she said, “You were only here for a couple of months and chose people you didn't know over ones you've protected for so much longer. You've made choices to protect people over and over again. At the sacrifice of your own happiness, in some cases at risk of your own safety.”

“I never said I wasn't happy,” Kara snapped.

“Well are you?”

“Can't people stop asking me that question! What do you want me to say? Am I happy I've left my home? Am I happy my sister is miserable without me? Am I happy I'm married to a man I hardly know and that I'm about to have his child? Am I happy that I'm no longer Supergirl? That I've been stripped of my powers? That I can't use what powers I have to help people? Powers that gave me more freedom than you can ever imagine? Am I happy that my freedom is gone? Of course I'm not happy. How do you expect me to feel?”

“After what you've been through I don't expect anything different,” she said, “If you're comfortable with it, I would like to continue our sessions. Biweekly to start with. Until our next session I want you to write anything and everything down in this journal. You can choose to keep your entries to yourself but I think it will help you focus everything.” She handed Kara a navy blue journal with a lock. She remembered the journal she kept in high school and how it had helped her focus her thoughts.

“I only agreed to one session,” Kara said.

“It's your choice should you return,” she said, “But I'll be here if you want to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter today! Thanks for reading! There are 9 chapters left of this story. I'll have an idea of when I'll publish the first chapter of the sequel in a few weeks. Thanks again, let me know your thoughts. - K


	51. Baby Names

Kara had just finished her breakfast and stood up when she knocked over her juice. The glass shattered and she let out a gasp of surprise.

“What is it?” Liam asked.

“It hurts,” she said squeezing her eyes shut shaking her head trying to steady her hands thinking the worst, “It's too soon.”

“It's the baby kicking, nothing to be concerned about,” Dr. Willdridge said after checking Kara. Then she moved the wand over her abdomen.

“The baby isn't positioned right to come into this world,” she said. The baby was not pointed downwards. It was intent on remaining inside Kara.

“I mentioned that you could be early but this early is not something we want. You're twenty weeks. While another twenty or nineteen would be ideal, I'm prepared for the possibility of you delivering in ten weeks. We have everything necessary should that happen.” Ten weeks, that was a little over two months away.

“That's so soon,” Kara said.

“I don't think you'll be delivering that soon your majesty,” she said.

“I'm not going to be put on bed rest am I?” Kara asked. She'd been reading pregnancy books and blogs.

“There's no cause to place you on bed rest at the moment. Blood pressure is fine, no bleeding, no other indication that this is a high risk pregnancy where I would suggest you stay in bed.”

“I heard the greenhouses are coming along,” she said shifting the topic to something she knew Kara would be more comfortable with discussing.

“We're hoping most of the food can be sent to the western provinces since their farms are still getting up and running,” Kara said. The western provinces were opening through phases. Schools were going to be starting their fall session next week.

Kara would be attending the start of one of the high schools to welcome students and teachers back to their normalcy. Since the students essentially attended school in VR classrooms, she'd be greeting many of them in VR too. She had wanted to attend the physical schools and really see the progress of the provinces but she'd been talked out of it.

While his fear of the Ulodrins was a constant focus of his; the medication he'd been prescribed had helped. He was sleeping through the night. Kara had continued to see her therapist and write in her journal. She was unsure if it was helping. She didn't feel any different the past couple of weeks. She was doing her best to keep herself distracted. She'd spoken with the reporter about what she was calling _The Greenhouse Initiative_. Twelve of the fourteen greenhouses were able to be salvaged. A handful of locations in Eastloch had started serving 'Earth meals'. She hadn't had strawberries incorporated in any of their meals recently though.

After lunch Kara looked at the crumpled piece of paper in her hand with Faye's number on it. She'd most likely be in Algaria by now or would be leaving soon.

“Your majesty, you have a meeting with the seamstresses,” Halisa said.

“Oh, right,” Kara said.

“I can have it rescheduled. I can pick up your new outfits, it's no problem.”

“No, no,” Kara said recalling what'd happened the last time Halisa had tried to deliver a new dress of hers, “Besides they mentioned baby clothes.”

The clothes that Kara's seamstresses fit well and the pointed out where the fabric would stretch and change with her body. Each dress and skirt emphasized her growing bump. The clothing was warm but more breathable than what she wore when she'd arrived last winter. There was one dress in particular that she liked the most. It was a cream colored dress with blue, green, and brown flowers all over it. It reached the floor and the sleeves stopped at her elbows. There was a belt tied just above her bump. They then showed her the baby clothes. Half were traditionally male in style and the other half female.

“We understand the public having to wait until the birth but you really don't know if you're having a boy or girl?” one of them asked.

“No,” Kara said. Though she had weekly appointments with Dr. Willdridge she didn't know. There was no indication of if her child would be a boy or a girl.

“It'll make out lives easier, well not to mean you won't have both, but...” The head seamstress shot the younger woman a look.

“I apologize your majesty,” she said.

“No, I understand your frustration,” Kara said, “Should I find out you will be informed but under no circumstance will you speak of the gender outside this room. Should you do so you can say goodbye to this job.” But she doubted any information of such would be told to her seamstress. Liam mentioned he didn't want to know, that it was common to wait until the birth despite technology being able to inform them. She'd make sure their wages were increased and that they were given more time off before the baby came. She knew once the baby was here they'd make more outfits to keep up with it's growing body.

Kara sat out in the garden enjoying a cup of soup the chef had made. It was similar to butternut squash soup on Earth and was currently being served at Orlan's. Kara saw the guards begin to bow as Liam walked into view. He sat next to her.

“Are you still worried after seeing Dr. Willdridge this morning?” he asked.

“No,” she said, “Any news on the Ulodrins today?” She'd been attending meetings but the past few days she'd been busy with meetings regarding the baby.

“All quiet,” he said, “How was it with the seamstresses today?”

“They wanted to know if we were having a boy or a girl,” Kara said.

“Them and the rest of the country,” he said touching her stomach.

“Any news on Brenham?” she asked.

“We know they've taken over two planets. No new information. We don't think it's as bad as the Empire- star something- what was it called again?” They had recently watched the first couple of Star Wars films. Kara knew the story, the terminology despite having never seen the movies while living on Earth. When she'd first told Winn he insisted on her watching them but she made up excuses, then when he learned she was an alien he never brought it up again. Alex had told him that the films were a sore subject and now her sister knew the real reason why. Liam changed the subject not wanting to talk about what could be a near, dark future.

“Do you want to talk about baby names? I don't think we should wait until they're on their way like we did in the simulation.”

“You mean like you did,” Kara said, “I do want to use my aunt's name should we have a daughter though it's not common. The husband's name is just passed down, used as a last name.”

“Is it common here to use family names?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, “Liam was my grandfather's name on my mother's side. Thom was the name of my father and his father before him. I don't want to name our son Thom.”

“What do you want to name him?”

“Bren, Bren Iyler Lorelle, Prince of Rifar,” he said, “Bren was the name of my mother's brother, their father's name was Iyler. Wait- would you want to use your dad's name?”

“Zor-El,” Kara said, “My surname? No. What about a girl's name?”

“My mother's name was Corlina,” he said, “Corlina Astra Lorelle, Princess of Rifar. Janessa was Thom's mother's name. From what I've heard of his mother, she's like the Janessa we know. She spent many of her days in the library. One of her initiatives, while my father was away at war, was to make sure all the libraries in Rifar remained open.”

“What was your mother like?” she asked.

“I knew her better than I knew my father,” he said, “He married her not long before Krypton died. She took over the role of the royal tutors. Taught me everything they were supposed to. She made sure the libraries were maintained by teaching me in them. I got to know the people as they walked through searching for books to read. When there were people fleeing to Rifar seeking sanctuary she made sure they received it, made sure refugee programs stayed in tact. She died when I was eight along with my father. He'd given his thrown to my brother a few years prior. He'd been sick and couldn't continue as King. There was a monorail accident. They were visiting our northern border and on their way back... I spent the rest of my youth at our southern castle. Then once my schooling was over I started training to serve in the royal army.”

“With all the war who ran the country?” Kara asked.

“My father and brother still did. A council of advisors remained with them to receive information about goings on in the country then advise on the proper course of action.”

“So if you hadn't ended the war, you'd still be fighting, just as King,” she said.

“And Brenham could move forward however they choose. By the time the council convened it could be too late. They could have gained control of another planet. And by then it'd be a domino effect. All we could do is watch.”

“Isn't that all the council plans to do now if Brenham takes over any planets not under Nibiru's protection?” He'd waited for this question. He knew she'd want to do more, it'd just be a matter of time. Brenham would take over one planet and she'd want to help.

“That's why we've protected as many planets as possible. That's how we've acted. We've done what we can.”

“But there's more you can do, we can do,” she said.

“As Supergirl how many times did you help save more than your Earth?”

“I didn't know about Brenham, if I had-”

“And if you had? You know Earth, despite all it's heroes is no match for Brenham. You knew that before you even left Krypton. You knew that when you left Earth with me,” he said.

“We can do more, we should do more,” Kara said.

“We've protected twelve planets,” he said, “Over sixty billion aliens are protected.”

“But Brenham has already caused so much destruction,” she said, “Their colonies... they've already begun to take over lands that aren't theirs. They expect us to turn a blind eye.”

“If we don't we risk a war, we risk the death of millions of people of Nibiru. And you can forget about those who we've protected.” She knew he was right. Knew that they could only do so much. But she wanted to try. Maybe it was because she had lived on Earth so long, a planet that didn't know about alien species until very recently, but she'd forgotten about other planets. She'd been so focused on helping humans and a handful of refugee aliens living in National City because it was all she had the means to. And the past ten months she'd been focused on Nibiru, on Rifar. She then thought back to Earth being over run by Brenham soldiers. Her sister dead on the ground. Liam thought about the conversation he'd had with Alex.

Part of him wished they could protect more, do more to help others. But he knew they could only do so much. He knew that the threat of Brenham was closer then he wanted. His reign would be much shorter than he thought. He wanted years with Kara and with the child growing inside of her. He touched her stomach attempting to feel the life. He hoped for a girl. It would make it easier to convince her to leave. To send her to her sister. “She'll want to stay in fight, please make her leave,” Alex had said. But maybe they'd have more then a few months or years. Maybe it'd be decades until Brenham had enough control to turn their sites on gaining Nibiru and their allies.

Liam sat next to Kara in bed that night. She was flipping through a book not really reading the pages thoroughly. He'd been sketching. She'd brought up the paintings in the nursery and he told her about his hobby. She was surprised he hadn't mentioned it before. He told her he'd show her his studio but had yet to do so. He looked at her now. She was wearing a new nightgown. It was such a dark blue that it was nearly black. It had sheer sleeves and he wondered if it would actually be comfortable to sleep in.

“I like your new nightgown,” Liam said playing with the lace around her collarbone. He kissed her.

“We have an early morning,” she said, “Greeting students, remember?”

“The western schools are in a different time zone. They're three hours behind us. It'll be closer to midday for us,” he said moving the sheer sleeves down her arms, “We can sleep in.”


	52. Convincing

Kara stood outside a large brick building, the name _Uzdine Secondary School_ on the front in bronze letters. Liam stood next to Kara in moss green suit complementing Kara's floral dress. Hundreds of students and faculty were sitting in front of the stage. All the students were in school uniforms and Kara noticed most of the students messing around with their watches. They easily allowed the student to leave the virtual world or flicker back and forth. She could see the exhaustion in some of their eyes and the fear that accompanied it. All of these students had moved back home and now sat in a school building in Uzdine. They would return to the building twice, once for lunch and again to return home for the day. They'd all seen the destruction of their former school building on news reports. Some may have even seen it in person during the war. But Kara knew these students didn't fear an attack from Luxo. They feared the Ulodrins. The terrorist group that had attacked the castle had remained quiet but she knew there was a fear they'd attack more than government buildings.

“I know many of you were displaced from your homes and your lives forever changed due to the recent war. Today I am pleased to welcome you back to school and to welcome you back to your homes, even if they weren't the homes your used to. As you all know I am not of this planet, nor of this country, but in the past months Rifar has become my home. When I saw the destruction of the provinces like Uzdine, I knew I wanted to do all that I could to help you return to what could feel as close to normal as it once was. I have seen the damage done by war and I know it takes time to recover. I know the recent war has brought so much pain and hardship. But I hope with returning to your homes, work and school will be one of many steps to returning to a happy,safe life.”

Kara noticed someone remaining after all the students finished entering the building. It was Faye.

“I'll meet you on the other side soon,” Kara said.

“If you're not awake in ten minutes I'll take you out manually,” he said well aware how easy it was to get stuck in VR and not realize it.

“The Ulodrins can't trap me here,” Kara said.

“This is an open world,” he said, “And it wouldn't be hard for a parent to take their kid's lenses and use them. Wouldn't alert the security team that something was off.”

“Fine, ten minutes,” she sighed.

“I've been waiting for your phone call, your majesty,” Faye said. Kara cringed.

“I'm sorry, I meant to call but-”

“No, your majesty, I didn't mean-” she began but Kara waved her off and asked for her to call her Kara.

“Have you moved to Algaria?” Kara asked.

“No, I'm still currently in Eastloch,” she said, “When I heard of you addressing students today I managed to convince my supervisor to let me use a pair of the VR lenses we use at the hospital.”

“Why not just come to the palace?” Kara asked.

“No one besides palace staff and those with an audience with the King have been allowed in since the attack weeks ago,” she said.

“Yes, the King has been over cautious,” Kara said running her thumb across the tattoo on her wrist.

“You're still new to our VR,” she observed, “Not spending a long time in it.”

“Like I said when we first met, my husband has been overcautious,” Kara said, “I did spend eight hours in VR once.”

“You went through a birth simulation,” Faye mused.

“Yes, I-” but before she could finish her response she was pulled from the VR world.

She sat up only to bend over and empty her stomach. Her morning sickness was no longer where it'd been her first few months but it was still something she dealt with at least twice a week. Liam held her hair back asking if she was okay. She nodded sitting back up.

“I was in the middle of a sentence,” she said, “Was it really necessary to get me out of there so quickly? I know VR isn't the same as reality.”

“It was just a safety pre-”

“I know!” Kara sighed, she hadn't felt this overprotected since she first arrived on Earth.

Over the next five weeks she began to leave the castle more. She met with Faye twice before the doctor moved. She visited the Rifar Chronicle. She ate dinner with Liam and still attended meetings with him as well. She kept seeing her therapist and writing in her journal. She made time to make weekly calls to Alex and now Lena. And one weekend she spoke with Janessa. She'd been covered in dirt and went on about how well the harvesting was going. She was a different person than the one she'd met several months ago, happier and more energetic. 

Janessa hadn't even been asked about whether she wanted to marry Ayden. Marrying a lord in Luxo did not save her people. In fact, for most of her adolescent years, Luxo was the enemy of her country. While it helped stabilize peace she could have argued against it. She could have refused, had fought and someone else could have married Ayden. And she was happy. Her life in Luxo was better than her life in Rifar had been. She was much happier in her union than Kara was. In two weeks Kara will have been away from Earth for a year. Her and Liam would be celebrating their one year anniversary with a dinner and ball. And in one year of marriage she was no where near as happy as Janessa was in five months of her's.

Janessa hadn't moved to a new planet, nor had she left a loving family behind. From what Kara had gathered she didn't have many friends either. She had left a difficult situation whereas Kara hadn't. Well, dealing with Lex and Lena wasn't easy but she'd been needed on Earth. She had friends and family on Earth. She had a good life. Her life wasn't bad in comparison now. Just different.

“Have you been writing in your journal?” Kara's therapist asked.

“Usually after lunch,” Kara said.

“Has it been helping?” Kara shrugged. This was her second meeting for the week.

“I heard you and the King are celebrating your one year anniversary soon,” she said.

“We're having a ball,” she said then let out a soft laugh.

“What's funny about having a ball?”

“It's like something out of some fairytale,” Kara said, “They're children's stories on Earth. A girl, a servant, she goes to a ball and meets a prince and falls in love. They get married and live happily ever after. It's fiction, just a story.”

“This new part of your life, does it feel unreal, feel like fiction?”

“Sometimes,” she said, “Being married, being pregnant even... I just didn't picture my life turning out this way. Not when I was living on Earth anyway.”

“How did you picture your life on Earth?”

“When I became Supergirl... I saw the rest of my life. I was going to continue being a superhero until I couldn't be anymore.”

“No marriage? No kids?”

“That's what my sister wants. I wanted a relationship but it wasn't easy when I couldn't share everything about myself. I was fine without a boyfriend, a husband.”

“So, you never pictured yourself with kids?”

“No, I did once but I- I liked my life the way it was. It wasn't perfect but having kids wasn't in my near future. I was focused on more important things, like Lex Luthor.”

“You're due in fifteen weeks?” she asked.

“Yes,” Kara said, “I just- I don't want to be seen just as a wife and a mother.”

“You want something else out of life.”

“I'm protecting Earth by being here,” Kara said, “Every choice, every action I make, it protects Earth and my family there from Brenham.”

“Who are you trying to convince Kara? Me or yourself?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter. I know this one and the previous had a lot going on but the next chapters won't be so crowded, so to speak. The photo at the beginning of the chapter is the one I drew from for Kara's dress that she wore during the opening of the school. Since we're coming to the end of this story I wanted to ask again if anyone would be interested in a Janessa spin off that takes place during the same time as this one. And for those wondering I will be uploading M rated excerpts from this story soon, I promise. Again, thank you so much for reading and commenting! I'll update soon. - K


	53. Here, she was not a Queen

Kara pondered over her therapist's question for two weeks before she was able to answer the question thoroughly. She had told her she'd seen the other choices, ones that lead to the death of Krypton, of Earth, of her sister. She had told her of the arguments her and Liam had after they first got married. That a baby was in the center of most of them. She had told her, in general terms, of the conversation she had with her mother. She had told her she was afraid her choices wouldn't be enough.

“I could have failed in protecting those I love and also endanger another innocent life. A baby's life.”

“Your baby?” she asked.

“Yes, of course, my-” but Kara had stopped talking.

“Kara?” she asked softly.

“I- I'm not- it's not...” Kara felt the tears slide down her cheeks. She swiftly wiped them away but more kept falling. Then she was full on sobbing. And she could't figure out why. It wasn't until she heard the therapist repeat that it was the hormones several times until she could get it under control. She then excused herself not bothering to listen to her therapist's pleases for her to stay.

The suite was empty. This didn't surprise Kara. She knew Liam was constantly in and out of meetings. Most days she was with him but the past week and a half she'd told him she had other duties. She now saw him between dinner and breakfast. Occasionally they'd eat lunch together but today wasn't one of those days. Kara grabbed the VR contact lenses that were in her nightstand drawer. Instead of walking around a virtual Rifar she patched into the VR world of Andrea Rojas' creation. There she was presented with options. She recognized one of them. It was her crest. Of course, humans would love to live out their dream of being a superhero. For her, it was a memory, one she wanted to escape to.

Kara looked around her. She was in National City. She was in her Supergirl uniform except instead of her most recent version, she was in her skirt. She felt her strength course through her veins. She felt normal. She looked down to see that she was no longer pregnant. Here, she was the Supergirl Earth knew. Here, she was not a queen. Here, she was someone she used to be, someone she longed to be again. In her reality, she would never be Supergirl again, she could never return to Earth and pick up where she left off. But here she could be whomever she wanted to be.

She glanced around the street she was on and noticed it was empty. No one was in the city in the middle of the day. That was strange.

“Mom!” she heard a kid say, “Mom! It's Supergirl. She's back.” Kara looked around for the voice and spotted a boy, about thirteen, in a window of an apartment building. He was pulled away from the window and the curtains were closed. She flew up regardless and gently tapped on the window careful not to shatter it.

The boy ran to the window and opened it before his mother could stop him. He motioned her in as his mother rushed to close the windows, double checking to make sure no one saw them.

“What's going on? Why is the city so empty?” Kara asked. She didn't need an answer as she heard a loud roar and she turned to look out the windows.

Liam returned to the suite just before dinner. Kara wasn't in their parlor like usual. He went into the bedroom and found her asleep on the bed. He thought about waking her for dinner but decided against it. He knew the past couple of months hadn't been easy for either of them. There was a distance that had grown between them.The other night had been the first time they'd been intimate in months. Before then and afterwards their relationship had a hole in it. While she attended most of his meetings with him and made contributions he knew she was still not happy with her place here. And he couldn't blame her. Who would want to be Queen of a country you don't really know when you could be a superhero? She had more independence on Earth and here every action and every decision she made was watched and criticized. She couldn't even leave the castle without a guard or two.

While he was excited about a child in the castle he knew she wasn't. He knew she didn't want to be living in Rifar and now she was trapped with the upcoming birth of their child. He remembered the conversation he had with her sister weeks ago. Brenham had gone after two planets since then. They'd been successful in their domination. There'd been no inquiries about the allies of Nibiru however. According to the council, their allies were still safe. He knew if Brenham were to go after Earth or any other planet Nibiru would have to make a stand. They wouldn't win. No one could. But he told Alex he'd get Kara off world, get her back to her home.

She'd be safer on Earth. She'd have the yellow sun to protect her. And he spoke with Lena Luthor and learned of their plan to protect themselves. He knew it all depended on Brenham losing interest in Earth. The shield could only encase Earth no longer than a week at a time. Any longer and they risked damage to the planet. He wished a war with Brenham was not in their near future. Or in their future at all. Then everything that had happened in the past year could have been avoided. He looked at Kara as she slept. It didn't seem real that they'd been together for a year. Tomorrow would be a ball to celebrate their union.

Liam nearly woke Kara up when dinner arrived but decided against it. He told the guard to make sure her dinner was kept warm in the kitchen and that they'd be called back up later. He sat in front of the television and flipped on a movie not wanting to watch the news or think about his job as King for the next two hours. He remembered in the first few weeks of their marriage Kara would be on the couch next to him. As nights passed she'd go from sitting next to him, to her feet on his lap, then eventually, sometimes falling asleep with her head on his shoulder. They'd grown comfortable together. And now months later everything was different.

They'd both been withdrawn. His fears about protecting his people, protecting Kara, and their child had been his focus. That's what was what was important to him more than anything. He wanted to believe that the Ulodrins were no longer a threat, that Kara was much less danger here than she would be on Earth, and that Brenham was just a bad dream and nothing more. He wanted to be able to tell Kara that she could go home, go back to Earth, because Nibiru was not her home. He could see her face every time she ended a phone call with Alex or Lena.

But he also wanted to hold Kara. He wanted to lie next to her every night. He wanted her to be happy here. He wanted her to be happy here with him. And as a family. He wanted a family with Kara. Though she frustrated him sometimes he was more comfortable around her than anyone. He wanted Kara to be just as happy as he was about their baby. He'd been in the nursery dozens of times. He spent his time in there reading old children's books, sketching, and even going through reports on the Ulodrins. He wasn't sure how often Kara had stepped foot into it; he only knew that she was dazed when she came out of it. They didn't often talk about her pregnancy, about the new life that would be in their lives soon. And the times they talked about the baby she was quick to change the subject.

Liam also visited the other rooms in the family wing. He saw the room he rarely stayed in when living here. He spent some time in what Kara would call a living room. Toys were in a bin but there was also a large viewing screen, two bookshelves, and an empty mini fridge. Eventually it'd be filled with kid approved snacks. This would be a room filled with family. His and Kara's family. Maybe. If Kara was willing to have another child with him. And if Brenham didn't destroy them first. He wanted the baby to be a girl. He wanted Kara to have a chance to go home should Brenham decide to attack. He needed a reason to send her and their baby to safety. A son, an heir to the throne, would be expected to stay in Rifar. Alex had asked him to try to send Kara home and this was the only way he could. He wanted Rifar to feel like her home but he knew she'd never see it as home, no matter how much he wished it.

He ate his dinner and turned on the news. Over two hours went by and Kara bolted from the bed into the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and Liam could hear her empty her stomach.

“Kara, are you alright?” he asked.

“Fine! I'm fine!” she said, “I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, “I can call for Dr. Willdridge.”

“No! I'm fine, Liam,” she said then he heard the sink running.

“Just a bad reaction to something I ate,” she said. Kara sat against the wall clutching the VR contacts case in her hand. She was no longer Supergirl. She was Kara Lorelle, Queen of Rifar. She wanted to return to the VR world, to return to a sense of her old life. But she knew that wasn't healthy. That was something she would have done in high school. She would have been pulled out fighting by Eliza. She could picture an argument, like one she'd have with Liam if he learned how long she spent in the VR world today. And what she'd been doing. She'd have argued with Alex if she did the same. If instead of meeting up through holo-calls, she wanted to meet with Kara as she was before Nibiru.

“I'll be out in a minute,” Kara eventually said standing up. She looked at herself in the mirror. Besides the bedhead she looked like she belonged on Nibiru. She wore the current fashions and with the exception of her house of El crest necklace, you wouldn't know she wasn't from this planet. She combed out the knots in her hair with her fingers and rinsed her mouth out again then left the bathroom.


	54. Something Wicked this way Comes

Kara sat reading a new mother book in the library. She flipped through it only really looking at the images. The first chapter was all about the birth. She barely glanced at the chapter. She knew about that from the simulation. She had mentioned it to Lena and she told her that some simulations were being implemented in med classes at a handful of universities. Med students could prepare for surgeries they'd be performing.

“Brenham won't be able to hurt us,” Lena said during their most recent holo call the day before.

“They've taken over two more planets in the last two weeks,” she said, “That's four in total. As far as we know no one is being tortured and we're trying to gather information about how well the people are eating, how they're being treated. And we're keeping an eye on Nibiru's allies.”

“Like Earth,” Lena said.

“The Queen hasn't decided to go after Earth,” Kara said.

“Well if she does, we'll be ready.” Kara only nodded at this. Nibiru wasn't prepared to go to war with Brenham. The Council had checked in with their allied planets and they weren't prepared either. A war with Brenham was bad. It'd be a disaster. The whole reason she married Liam was to avoid a war. There was always a possibility that Brenham would ask assistance from Nibiru and their allies for help in conquering other galaxies. It'd been brought up near the end of a recent Council meeting but there'd been little time to discuss it.

“Is there anything you're going to do to help those other planets?” Lena had asked.

“We've done all we can with protecting our allies. We can't risk war,” Kara said.

“But-”

“I can't protect everyone,” she said, “I have to go.”

Kara skimmed a chapter about feeding. Dr. Willdridge had told her the options she had when it came to feeding the newborn. Bottle feed or breast feed. The book outlined the positives and negatives of both. She had gone over the different formulas with the doctor and the royal nutritionist. They both agreed on one thing. Breast milk that came from Kara would be healthier for the baby. Should the baby choose not to latch pumping was always an option. There were eleven weeks left for all these decisions to be made. There was plenty of clothing and the nursery was completed. There was no need to go to a grocery store for diapers once a week once the baby was born. There were new toys that been sent as gifts. She'd been asked if she wanted a baby shower with the ladies of Rifar and Janessa. Kara had declined the thought of even having one. Her and Liam had just had their anniversary party.

It'd been dull. Kara wished all she'd had was pizza and a movie with Liam. Instead she made small talk with the ladies of Rifar, all of whom she still barely knew. They shared their excitement for her new baby and Kara smiled and told them she was just as excited as they were. She'd hoped Janessa would be able to attend but she had a health scare and chose to stay in Luxo. She didn't expand on the scare she had but Kara had a suspicion it might have to do with a miscarriage.

Kara was counting down the days till her mother would be here. Six weeks from now Alura Zor-El would be arriving on Nibiru. In eleven weeks she'd have a baby in her arms, her and Liam's baby.

“Are you feeling alright?” Liam asked Kara as they sat in the tub that night. He ran his hand over her abdomen waiting for the baby to kick, a feeling Kara had grown accustomed to.

“Fine,” she said exhausted with the question.

“Are you-”

“I'm fine!” Kara snapped, “Sorry. I'm just tired.”

“Have they been kicking all day?” he asked.

“No,” Kara said then she got up and dried off, “I'm going to bed.”

Kara sat in another meeting with Liam. The Ulodrins were still dormant. The families of the executed traitors hadn't done anything suspicious. And none of the POWs were asking for retaliation against Luxo. The western provinces were back to normal, at least as normal as they could be. No messages from Brenham but they weren't going after any of Nibiru's alliances. A quiet kingdom was a good kingdom, a safe kingdom. But Kara felt on edge. There was something coming. She just didn't know what. National City was never quiet for long, why would Rifar be any different? She said none of this however as Liam's council informed him of what needed to be done in the next few months. First was elections. New members of Parliament were to be elected by the people of Rifar next week. Kara had seen the campaigning on the news. Each politician brought up being faithful to the King and Queen of Rifar. Many said they'd take swift and harsh action against any Ulodrin sympathizers. Some mentioned lowering taxes, and a few brought up bringing the western provinces back to their former glory.

“Are you sure there's no news of Brenham or the Ulodrins?” Kara asked once the meeting was over.

“Nothing has been learned to state we're in any danger of either attacking,” Carson said.

“What is it?” Liam asked

“It's just a feeling,” she said, “A quiet kingdom might sound good but something is off.”

“I don't mean to speak out of turn but you've only been here a year your majesty,” Carson said, “Before war there have been times of peace before. This is not Earth with alien attacks every week.”

“I know it's not,” Kara said trying to keep her tone level, “But I know my instincts. Something is wrong. I know it.”

“We don't have any news to suggest otherwise. Just because no one is in grave danger doesn't mean something's wrong,” Carson said. Kara remembered her brief time on Argo, remembered the argument she'd had with her mother. That she wasn't used to peace. Then they were attacked. Earth had been in danger again.

“Believe me or not, I don't care. Something is going to happen. Maybe it's the Ulodrins. Maybe they're planning their next attack.”

“Our informants don't-”

“Our informants didn't know about the castle attack either!” Kara snapped, “What good are they if they can't get the information we need? All we're doing is putting them in danger. They should be pulled out.”

“We're not removing the soldiers, that would raise suspicions,” Liam said.

“If they're dormant, it won't matter. Unless you believe otherwise,” Kara said, “Carson doesn't.”

“They're staying in as a precaution.”

“If I'm wrong, removing them won't hurt anything, but if I'm not, your soldiers, who _you_ are supposed to protect as King, could be killed. They could be executed. And they can be just as public. And if I'm right, it won't be just their blood they'll spill. I don't know if another attack is coming. I could be wrong. I want to be wrong. But I was a hero longer than you've been King. I've fought against people like them. An execution might scare them for a while but it's been over two months.” Liam mulled over what Kara said for a few minutes thinking.

“Carson,” Liam said, “Remove the soldiers. They deserve time with their families.” Carson said nothing and nodded then left the room.

“I really hope you're wrong about this,” Liam said.

“I want to be wrong,” Kara said, “But don't you think it's better to be overcautious? This way no one gets hurt.”

“I still want them all dead for what they did.”

“They've been branded a terrorist organization. If they take action again, the people might request it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! The first chapter of M-Rated scenes from this story will be up on Friday. Again, I wanted to ask if any of you would be interested in reading a Janessa spin-off. I'll be updating soon. - K


	55. Interview with a Reporter

Three weeks passed with nothing happening. The soldiers were removed from their positions within the Ulodrins. They all reported the same information. Meetings were not being held in the real world or in the virtual one. Only two soldiers had made their way to higher ranks within the organization and they both returned with the same information. Nothing was being planned. The Ulodrins had been disbanded. They'd been scared off with what happened three months ago.

Kara was glad they'd been removed and requested the Editor-in-Chief of the Rifar Chronicle do the same of any undercover reporters. One reporter returned to Eastloch long after the soldiers did and Kara requested he meet with her at the castle. She planned to interview him and Liam suggested Carson join her but she refused.

“It's better if I do this alone,” Kara said, “He's no threat. If Carson has a list of questions he wants asked then he can hand me them himself.”

“I've heard a lot about you from your Editor, Levri,” Kara said.

“Not all good things,” he said, “I'm sure. But I've done a lot of research on you, your majesty. You used to be a reporter.”

“I didn't spend weeks infiltrating a terrorist organization.”

“You also had to pretend to be human,” he said, “But we're not here to talk about you or me.”

“No,” Kara said, “You spent some time with the Ulodrins. You specifically infiltrated their organization for a story. You wanted to know why they did what they did, if they planned to do more.”

“Yes I did.”

“We already know why they attacked the castle. That's clear to us. What's not is if they are planning another attack. Our sources tell us no. I want to know if you have any information otherwise.”

“You want names?”

“We already have names. However, should you choose to protect your sources, know you're protecting known terrorists. The same ones that killed nearly three dozen Rifarian citizens along with the King and myself. But, I don't really care about names, my husband sure, but I'm more interested in future plans. If they're planning on hurting more people, to get to me, I want to know. I need to know. And if I find out you've told me otherwise, well, you know I'm friends with Cando Sutan.”

“The names I have wouldn't help you,” he said, “The radicals don't use their real names. They know about the soldiers the King had within their group. Fed them false information sprinkled with a little truth.”

“How did you gain their trust then?”

“I knew one of the traitors. We both grew up in Algaria, went to the same schools, played on the same sports teams. He was a good guy and didn't deserve to die the way he did- that's what I told his wife. Gained access to his papers, his work, found a contact. Then I told the radicals the same thing. I don't believe what he did was okay. I knew half a dozen people that were killed that day. You don't kill people just because you don't like who they work for. He didn't just fall in with the wrong crowd, Queen Kara. The ones who attacked were radicals of the Ulodrins, but there were more who joined them after the executions. Most of the Ulodrins went dormant because they were afraid of what happened or because they didn't agree with what happened. But when they attack again it'll be more than a dozen members.”

“So, they are planning to attack again?”

“I don't know when or where. Just that'll be soon,” he said, “I hadn't been loyal long enough. I wasn't privy to that information. I've tried to figure out what they'll be attacking. The only big thing going on this month is the honoring of our God. That's not something public, it's private. They could wait until the new year celebration but I know it'll be sooner than that.” The only thing public about the current holiday celebration was that the King made a speech that was filmed and released to the people. She'd been by his side and joined him last week when he did this but it felt similar to Christmas on Earth. On Earth she joined in on the celebrations, on the food, singing the music, and the gift giving but the reason behind it was not something she personally believed. Growing up on Earth she didn't believe her parents were in heaven but in Rao's light, Krypton's version of heaven.

“And you don't know where? A school? Or maybe a theatre show?”

“Schools are currently being guarded. They'd have to attack from above and I don't believe they have that kind of power yet.”

“But they're working on it,” she said.

“They want to start a war within Rifar,” he said, “That's what their main leader, he goes by Seel'u, wants. He doesn't see the point in small attacks like what happened last time. He wants something larger, something to prove to the King, to the country that he's serious. He wants you dead, your majesty, along with the baby you're carrying.” If he was right it meant the Ulodrins weren't going to Brenham for assistance. Brenham didn't care about one country. Before she could say anything more the door open. She twisted around to see Carson and Liam.

Levri stood up and bowed as he had when Kara had first entered the room over an hour ago.

“What is it?” she asked looking at Liam, “What's happened?”

“We know Seel'u,” Carson said looking pale.

“Who is he?” Kara asked standing up. Liam looked at Levri and Kara fought back a groan. He was going to write this into his expose, or maybe he'd write a whole novel. Honestly she didn't care about that right now. But Liam still pulled her from the room while Carson remained.

“He's my cousin,” Liam said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and please let me know your thoughts! I just uploaded M-rated scenes from this story in a separate piece. If you go to my profile, you'll find it and as of right now it's just a scene from chapter 11.


	56. The Cousin of the King

“Your cousin? You said he wasn't a threat,” Kara asked.

“I didn't think he was. He doesn't communicate with Brenham. He was close with Thom but last I spoke with him, before I left for the war, he was busy partying in Grigone.”

“How did you recognize the name Seel'u?” Kara asked, “Levri said they're all using fake names.”

“He used it as an alias when staying at hotels when he was younger. His parents weren't fond of his lifestyle choices. If he used his real name at bars and hotels he'd have been sent home. His real name is Isso.”

“Well, he's stopped partying,” Kara said, “Do you know where he is? Can you get in contact with his parents?”

“I haven't seen him since my coronation. We didn't speak, I was too busy with the lords and ladies, addressing their concerns,” Liam said, “His parents died just before I left for Earth. It was ruled as accidental but now I suspect he could have had a hand in their deaths.”

“Is there anyway we can track him down?” Kara asked, “Levri gave you information about their meetings didn't he?”

“It was all in VR. They have some tech genius on their side. Able to create a private room for them, off our radar. We already have people looking into it.”

“Liam, your cousin wants to start a civil war,” Kara said.

“They won't be successful,” Liam said then turned to look at Levri through the window. He was speaking with Carson. Giving him detailed information about his work with the Ulodrins. Kara hadn't gone in for details. She'd gotten the information she needed, enough to point them in the right direction.

“I wanted to be wrong,” Kara said.

“So did I,” Liam responded.

“Does Carson know your cousin well?” Kara asked.

“They were best friends,” he said.

“Were?”

“Isso's smart. But he was a soldier with a drinking problem. And a girl problem, his first two wives divorced him for infidelity. He would get into fights with other lords and their sons, sometimes over their daughters or girlfriends or even wives. Even Thom knew when to cut his losses even if they were similar in certain aspects. But Carson... Carson tried to help him. Tried to convince him to stop drinking. There was an accident. Four soldiers died because of Isso's carelessness. Thom discharged him from the army, honorably of course, moved Carson to work with me, shoved Isso in a rehab program and never spoke to him again. Then Thom died and when I saw Isso again it was at my coronation. He looked better. Carson watched him and he didn't drink anything. But clearly he's angry at me, at Carson, at Thom.”

“His title must have made it easy for him to rise up the ranks within the Ulodrins,” Kara said.

“Then when they wouldn't take action, he did it himself.”

“Except he wasn't there that day,” Kara said running her hands through her hair.

“You should sit down,” Liam said.

“I'm fine,” she said.

“Kara,” he said, “Please.” She groaned but sat down in a chair then realized how exhausted she was. She'd spent the last three weeks worried that the Ulodrins were going to attack. It'd been the only thing occupying her mind. When she was going to her appointments with Dr. Willdridge, on the phone with Alex, and listening to Halisa going on about her new niece, all she could think about was when the Ulodrins were going to attack. She knew it was the same for Liam. If it weren't for his medication he'd be awake at night just like she was now.

“What if he's waiting to attack till we present the baby?” Kara asked.

“The security we'll have-”

“What if it's not enough?”

“It'll be enough.”

“You can't know that!”

“Then we won't present the baby to a crowd. We'll film a piece and have it aired.”

“Since we've announced I'm pregnant, I've been lectured about the importance of following tradition.”

“We'll announce it's for the safety of the baby. Their safety is more important than some tradition.”

“The people don't think the Ulodrins need to be feared. It's been months since their attack Liam. They think they've gone dormant.”

“Well they haven't. The people need to know that. They'll understand. They aren't horrible. And if someone tells you about the importance of tradition you send them to me.” Kara was silent for a long moment as she watched her husband absorb the news that his cousin, a member of his family, someone he'd grown up knowing, was a traitor.

“You said your cousin had previous wives. We should reach out to them, bring them here, along with any of their family. And Esla and her daughters too. I don't like them but they need protection. If they refuse fine but he might go after them to get to us.”

“I don't think that will be necessary.” Liam thought about the last time Esla had been at the castle. She had tried to hit Halisa and instead had struck Kara. She knew now of Kara's abilities, knew how powerful the Kryptonian was even with the battling suns of Nibiru. She hadn't spoken out about her. She didn't voice any beliefs that the new Queen was dangerous. It'd be sympathizing with the Ulodrins. He still received word from the staff of her house, as they were loyal to him first then the former Queen. She had become bitter since the start of the New Year. Another of her daughters had been married. The remaining younger three attended a private school and because of the Ulodrins they went to their classes under new appearances and names. He wondered if they heard gossip from other students about their family and about the impact the war had on their personal lives. Did they hear vitriol towards Thom?

“As Supergirl everyone who knew my true identity was in danger from my enemies. If he doesn't go after them to harm them, he might go after them to see if they're an ally. Irene's husband could be one of them. You stripped him of his title. Isso might see him as an ally and if her husband thinks joining him will help him regain his title, he will.”

“Okay,” Liam said, “Until they arrive I'm going to set a nationwide curfew, fill in all the lords and ladies of how they should handle their provinces personally. But I want to avoid causing a panic.” Like, he expected, Esla refused to travel to the castle with her daughters. Irene and her husband also denied any assistance and he feared, like Kara, that the Ulodrins would go to them and ask for an alliance.

Liam sat with Kara in front of a camera that was broadcasting across Rifar. Everyone in the country, with the exceptions of emergency personnel, was watching. Kara saw words scroll on a screen prompting Liam when to speak, when to take a breath, and when to look at her. She held his hand which was obscured from the camera's view. Liam had practiced the speech several times. More than once he stumbled over certain words. For weeks after the first attack Liam hadn't slept. He feared another attack and until recently he hadn't been concerned there was one coming. That'd changed.

“Earlier today we received news from informants undercover with the terrorist organization known as the Ulodrins, that they are still active. We've captured several known members and they are being questioned at this moment. After the attack we believed the leader had been killed, now we have learned he's been replaced.” Kara squeezed Liam's shaking hand.

“Members have been secretly meeting in VR, most likely using lenses from their children intended for school or visiting VR cafes. Until stated otherwise access into the VR world has been shut down. Classes for students are canceled until further notice. Along with no access to the VR world, a mandatory curfew is set from eight in the evening till six in the morning. These are precautionary measures that are being taken until the terrorist organization is dismantled.”

“I do not want to worry the Rifarian people. We are doing everything necessary so you will continued to be protected from the Ulodrins. What they want is to divide us. They want to cause fear. They want us to fear them. My citizens, the Ulodrins are the ones that should be fearful because they are cowards. Only cowards attack innocents. As your King, I am asking you to be watchful. If you suspect there may be an Ulodrin in your area, do not engage with them but report them to the nearest safety officer station.” Kara had argued this aspect of the speech. This would cause neighbors to distrust each other. The people would attack each other out of fear, which was exactly what they wanted to avoid.

“Your Queen and I want to thank you for your time tonight and wish you and your loved ones the healthiest and happiest of holidays this season.” The red light on the camera turned off but Liam maintained his calm appearance. As they walked through the castle to their room he appeared calm to the staff. He didn't show fear or worry. Then they entered their suite and Liam went to the bathroom. Kara sat next to him rubbing his back as he emptied his stomach into the toilet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Just a few chapters left until I'm done with this part of The Planet of Nibiru series. I do plan on their being a time jump between the final chapter and the first chapter of the next story. I've been debating on a three month or a six month gap. By the final chapter I'll also have a time frame of when I'll upload the first chapter as well. During the break I've also thought of uploading scenes that are talked about but never shown in the story like Kara and Liam's anniversary ball, her fundraising banquet, and when Kara discussed the Greenhouse Initiative with a reporter. They'd be in a separate story like the M-rated scenes are. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks again for reading! - K


	57. Queen for Now

Kara laid next to Liam in bed late the following morning. She sat up, careful not disturb him. They had their curtains open and Kara could see white snow falling. It had just barely coated the ground. The grey sky hid both of the suns from Kara's view though she could feel the yellow sun. She laid backed down and looked at Liam. Last night after the speech they sat in the tub. He remained nearly silent the entire time despite her attempts to have a conversation with him.

“People will die because I've failed to protect them,” he'd said. She had tried to argue otherwise, that he was doing all he could, but he refused to listen. Kara ran her fingers along his face, pushing his blonde hair back from his closed eyes. Maybe the room was cooler than usual but Liam felt warm beneath her hand. There was a knock at the outer door, most likely Halisa or Liam's new servant, Gerald. Liam didn't stir.

“Liam?” Kara asked gently shaking him.

“Liam, it's time to get up.” He let out a soft moan.

“Liam,” she said her voice rising an octave as she realized it was him who was unnaturally warm. His eyes opened.

“What's wrong?” he asked slowly sitting up. Before he could say anything else, he started to cough. She pushed his hair back as he leaned into her when they stopped.

“You're okay,” she said.

“You need to leave,” he groaned knowing he was sick.

“I'm not going anywhere,” she insisted then he vomited water, “Someone get Dr. Willdridge!”

“Liam, you're going to be okay,” she said but he didn't respond his eyes closing.

“Liam, I need you to stay awake until the doctor gets here,” she said.

“Liam! Liam! I need you to stay awake, please.” She didn't realize how tightly she'd been holding onto him until there were people trying to pull her off him.

“Kara, I need you to leave this room,” Dr. Willdridge said.

“No,” she said.

“Kara, you can't be in here.”

“He's my husband.”

“For the safety of your baby, you cannot be in here. You cannot get sick.”

“I'm not leaving him,” she said not listening. She pictured the next few months of her life. A casket being lowered into the ground as she held an infant in her arms. The country in a civil war she tried to fight, a red cape flowing behind her. The Ulodrins winning and the baby she held crying for a dead father. Nibiru then falling under the power of Brenham. Her sister's lifeless body in a mass grave on Earth. Her baby ripped from her arms as she was placed in a cell with other Kryptonians. These horrific images caused her to only hold tighter to Liam.

“Kara, I'm not asking,” she said, “I'll make sure you stay informed of his condition. You need to go. You have to lead now that his majesty cannot.”

“What? No, I can't-” then she watched as Liam vomited again, growing paler. When he had moved her grip had loosened allowing the doctor's assistants to pull her away from the King.

“Kara, you need to go,” the doctor said and Kara was too shocked to try to fight from being removed from the room.

Kara sat in a board room with Carson.

“I want to formally apologize for my actions. I didn't believe-” Carson began.

“There's no need to apologize. We have lead different lives. Our instincts will be different. You wanted to believe there was finally peace. I understand that. Once Isso has been caught maybe there will be.”

“We can hope. There's been some reaction to last night's speech. The people have questions.”

“I'm not- I can't-”

“Liam isn't here to answer them. You are,” he said, “I've watched your speeches as Supergirl. You'll do fine. And besides, we're just going over the concerns today. They won't be addressed until later.”

“What are their concerns? They're afraid to leave their homes are't they?”

“Some of them.” He handed her a file folder filled with pages. These were all from the last thirteen hours since the speech had been aired. Kara read the first few questions then closed the folder.

_I work in VR, how am I supposed to pay for rent and food?_

_Are the Ulodrins really as dangerous as you suggest? Or is this just a way of controlling us?_

_Do you fear the Ulodrins attacking schools? Is that why you've closed the schools?_

_The Ulodrins think the Queen's a witch? Are they right?_

_Are we going to war with the Ulodrins?_

“We've also been taking in suspected sympathizers.”

“Any luck on tracing Isso's location?”

“No,” Carson said.

“How many provinces are completely in lockdown?” Kara asked.

“Grigone and Maglea have both only kept hospitals and safety officer stations open. Citizens are being told to stay home for their safety.”

“Any protests?”

“None, but it hasn't even been twenty four hours.”

“I need a list of the most populated areas. They'll attack there first. We've called them out, they'll want to take action, to prove to the people they should be afraid. Notify me when it's done.” She left the room and started walking. She found herself in Liam's main office. This was the room he spent most of his time in outside of their suite and the nursery. There were piles of paper on the desk, along with a stack of books. One lay open. Kara looked at the page and what was marked. It was of the law he told her about. The one he said had been repealed. It was more detailed then what he'd said. She needed to produce a male heir. But regardless, she knew she couldn't leave. If she left, the Ulodrins would win. But it could save more lives. No. They would see that violence was the correct way to solve a problem, just like the former King did.

She closed the book and placed it on one of the bookshelves. She flipped through the pieces of paper on the desk. Most of them were letters from citizens of Rifar. She wondered if they had already been read, if they were in order of importance, or if he reread these every time he was in here. She noticed a picture frame on the desk. In it was a miniature version of their portrait that'd been painted not long after she first arrived. She forgot about that day. They had been painted as well as had photographs taken. Then they had just stopped sleeping with the pillow between them. Then she thought a baby would solve all their problems. That was over a year ago, two for Alex and Lena and the others on Earth. It'd been two years since they'd seen Supergirl. Her cousin protected them along with those at the watchtower.

At lunch Kara hadn't heard anything about Liam's condition. Carson had given her the information she requested. She pulled up a map with the pinpoints of the locations. She and other members of Liam's council sat with her giving her information as she looked at the provinces of Rifar.

“Add more security at these locations,” she said pointing at the hospitals throughout the country. She then pointed at various government buildings.

“Do you suggest anywhere else?” But before Kara could answer every screen in what Kara called the situation room depicted a burning building. Her throat went dry.

“Where is that? And what's inside that building?” She couldn't see a hospital name or the name of a school on the building. The footage zoomed out and Kara saw it wasn't an office building or a school or a hospital; it was a castle.

“That's not here,” she said trying to think of where else there was a castle in the country.

“That's the castle in Lestar, the southern province,” Carson said.

“That's where Liam grew up,” she said recognizing the name, “Who's all there?”

“Staff to maintain the castle. It was recently filled with more people.” This was because she was to travel with Liam there soon, not long after the baby was born. She knew the castle was favored by Queen Corlina, his mother. The weather was better, the castle was more modern and instead of overlooking a large metropolitan area like Eastloch, it was surrounded by small villages and plots of farmland.

“Do we have any reports of any casualties?”

“No, your highness,” said one of the security officers.

“Are we sure this was the Ulodrins?” she asked looking at the footage, “What's in the part of the castle? Someone pull up a map.”

“It's the residence wing,” someone said, “It was empty.” There was nothing in the wing to suggest a fire hazard. There were two fireplaces in the wing. One in the King and Queen's suite and one in the family gathering room. The rest of the rooms were warmed with heaters but none had been turned on because unlike Eastloch they had not been hit with a cold front. The wing hadn't been attended to yet, it'd have been prepared closer to her and Liam's arrival date. This was no accident.

“They're sending a message to us,” Kara said then she saw the footage of the crowd of people watching the castle, “They need to be dispersed. Now!” She felt her heart rate pick up knowing what was going to happen next. She saw people genuinely concerned about the fire. She heard the audio picked up. They wanted to help. They wanted to make sure no one was going to get hurt. She watched safety officers attempt to move the people. They were trying to tell them to go home. That everything was under control. But the people weren't moving.

Then three screens, which were depicting footage taken from news crews went black. Another screen showed a camera on the ground picking up audio but blurred footage. Two other were catching arial footage. She heard screaming. A child crying for their mother. Others calling out for loved ones. She caught one woman yelling “He's an Ulodrin! I saw him with a remote!”

“Are trauma doctors on their way?” Kara asked after there was a long moment of silence.

“Doctors are on their way along with soldiers. They've all been sent images of Isso,” Carson said. Kara wanted to fly there now. She wanted to go to the greenhouse then leave.

“You can't,” Carson said quietly reading her body language, “If you went and ended up hurt or worse... what will that do to Liam? How will I explain to him and your family back on Earth, on Argo, what happened?”

“I can help all those people better than-”

“Trust the men and women helping those who've been hurt,” he said. It wasn't her place anymore to help them as Supergirl.

“Send a message out that everyone has to stay in their homes. They are not to leave for any reason,” Kara said, “These people were lured out of their homes to help others. For all we know the soldiers and doctors on their way will be killed too.”

“They signed up for that risk,” Carson said.

“Isso needs to be found,” she said. There was a knock at the door. Kara didn't bother turning away from the footage on the screens as two people spoke softly behind her.

“Rewind the footage that shows the crowd,” Kara said, “And pull any footage from online.” She saw the crowd footage from a few vantage points. One was from someone's phone camera. They'd filmed it and had decided to stream it online live.

“I need you to get that footage taken offline,” she said, “Wipe it. Their family doesn't need to see that.” While someone did as they were told, Kara watched the footage play through.

“There's a fire at the southern castle,” she heard the person behind the camera say, “We don't know if anyone's inside the castle. I think the royal family is still in Eastloch.”

“We need you to step back please,” an officer said as the camera was pointed at them.

“Did the Ulodrin's start this fire? Was anyone inside?” the person asked.

“Step back please,” they said.

“Where's the security for the castle been? Did the Ulodrins' take them out?” Kara watched as the officer listened to something in his earpiece. Her order for them to be sent back home.

“Everyone needs to go home now!” the officers called out.

“Why is there something you don't want us to see?” The officers attempted to forcibly move the crowd back.

“Go home!” the officer yelled, “Get back! Get back! Run!” But it was too late. Kara heard the screams as the phone remained clutched in the person's hand as they ran.

“They're on the rooftops! They have guns, they're shooting into the crowd!” the person cried out, “They're killing us, please someone hel-” Then they stopped and fell, the phone shattered and stopped filming. There were a handful of other videos, most of which ended the same. They were all being scrubbed from online and databanks. The media would be sent a message that these videos were not to be aired out of respect for the families. Despite this, three of the videos were already being aired by news stations. She knew, due to the media laws of the country, that they'd be fined. Those personally responsible for allowing them to air would be fired from their position.

“Kara,” Carson said and she turned around.

“They've found Isso,” he said.

“What?” she asked.

“He was on one of the rooftops. Wasn't able to get away quick enough. He was shot but he's still alive.”

“Were they able to capture anymore members?”

“Three members,” he said, “The others will be found. And they've been able to trace the time and dates of the meetings Levri told us about.”

“You have all the names?” she asked.

“Some, others we have locations. People have been working on it since Levri came in. We're still gathering information.”

“Do you have a timeframe?” she asked.

“Our guys think it'll be a few days, maybe weeks till we have everyone. It's a lot of footage to go through.”

“Tell them to work as quick as they can,” she said thinking of Winn and how useful he'd be here right now.

“The doctor was able to figure out what was wrong with Liam,” he said as an afterthought, “He's being treated and should be fully recovered in a few days.” Kara nodded.

“Get me a communication line to the Lord of Lestar,” she said then turned back towards the monitors. The smoke had cleared and Kara could see the doctors in white attending to the wounded.

“I need names of everyone there, dead and alive. And even if they're fit enough to leave the hospital, don't let them,” she said.

“You think some of them will have injured themselves to blend in, to get away,” Carson said. Kara nodded then asked to watch the footage again.

By dinner Kara had watched the footage frame by frame multiple times. She couldn't spot the person the woman claimed was responsible. There were three dead and over two dozen injured. The crowd hadn't been as large as she previously thought when watching the earliest footage. The numbers weren't large but it was enough to cause fear. A statement had gone out from the palace. They grieved with the nation due to the recent tragedy. They were also informed of the leader's capture. But a curfew was still in place, schools were still closed, and VR was still unavailable. The young woman's voice that she'd heard in the video echoed in her mind. She'd been severely injured and it was believed she would not survive the night.

This was the world her and Liam's baby was being born in to. Before Kara had arrived, Rifar had been peaceful. Now there was a group trying to cause a war because of her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up.

“Liam, you should be resting,” she said. She'd thought about retiring to a private room after she'd had her dinner but had only continued to watch the footage of the attack.

“The nurses were talking about what happened,” he said.

“They've caught your cousin... but not before he killed three more Rifarian citizens. Maybe more, people are still being treated at the hospital.”

“The aim of his fellow Ulodrins aren't as good as he hoped,” he said, “This will be over soon. We will have peace again.”

“But what if-”

“We will have peace again,” he said, “I will make sure of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Only two more chapters until the part of the series is done. Please let me know your thoughts and I'll update soon! - K


	58. Preterm

Only three days had passed since the most recent attack. Two more had died in the hospital. Liam had improved from his illness as the doctor said he would. Kara was still confused as to why and how he fell ill. Dr. Willdridge explained he had what was similar to an Earth flu. They couldn't prevent the illness completely, she'd explained, but the recovery with the treatment was more aggressive and quicker than the antibiotics on Earth.

While he was recovering Isso had been interrogated constantly by Carson despite Kara's reservations that he was too close to him. Isso would be executed soon, along with his fellow members. Like before their families had been brought in. Kara didn't want to speak with in any of them like she had done last time. A few more member names had been gathered but they knew there were more. These members were being arrested and imprisoned. Kara had brought up visiting those injured at the hospital but Liam, though finally well enough to return to his place as King, was not well enough to travel and visit others.

So the day Liam returned to his duties as King she tried to get her mind of the attack. So she packed her day with the work she had put off. She spent time in the kitchens working on the greenhouse projects as produce from some were finally ripe enough to be picked. She insisted that any refugees from the planets that had greenhouses of be sent a package of their home world food. She also started to plan a dinner where many would be invited to share their cultures and their dishes with the lords and ladies of Rifar. She had learned from the treatment of alien refugees on Earth and wanted to do better by them here. She hoped to discuss treatment of refugees with each of the lords in their respective provinces.

She spent several hours on the phone with Janessa. The young woman was careful not to mention the attack and confirmed with Kara that she was not pregnant despite the constant rumors. She discussed books and talked of Ayden's nephew; whom had recently visited. The only reason the call was cut short was because Ayden was calling for Janessa, and Kara could swear she heard the phrase “come back to bed”.

Halisa had decided to stay at the castle and Kara was pleased to learn of a budding relationship between her lady-in-waiting and the guard she'd flirted with weeks ago when Kara first snuck out. He'd taken her out to dinner and dancing. Unfortunately, he'd been recently switched to the night shift because of his flirtations with Halisa.

Kara was eating breakfast alone again the next day. She saw Liam once the night of the Lestar castle attack but then they'd been given orders to remain away from each other until he was better. The previous day she had only seen him at breakfast when he stopped into the Queen's personal rooms to say hello. She'd occupied herself with work and he was up late assuring citizens that there would not be another attack. She wouldn't have minded if it weren't for the false labor pains. They lasted through lunch then dinner. Liam had rushed out of their room before breakfast. He had given Kara a kiss and when he returned well after dinner he apologized for being away. She brushed it off, saying it wasn't necessary, that she understood.

“What's wrong?” he asked noticing her pains.

“Just false labor pains,” she said.

“Are you sure? Did you check with-”

“I'm not in labor Liam, don't be ridiculous,” she said. Now was not the time. Not with everything going on. Liam couldn't step away from his job right now.

“Maybe we should check with Dr. Willdridge,” he said, “Just in case.”

“Liam, I'd know. I've been through the simulation,” she said with a huff. He still looked unsure.

“They're not painful,” she said, “Look it's just my body preparing itself.”

Kara slept on and off that night. The pain wasn't worse but it wasn't better either. She was just uncomfortable. The fire that had was now smoldering in the fire place hadn't helped. If anything it made her more uncomfortable.

“How's the pain?” Liam asked at breakfast.

“Fine,” she said.

“Kara, maybe-”

“I still have six weeks left. It's too early,” Kara argued.

“You were early in the simulation,” he said.

“It's false labor,” she insisted, “You have a lot to do today. I'll spend mine relaxing. Does that help?”

“Okay,” he said still not convinced. Before he left he spoke with Halisa, mentioning the pain, and if it got worse, or closer together to call the doctor and him.

“I'm fine Halisa,” Kara told her as the young woman curled her hair.

“Perhaps it'd be a good idea to check with the doctor. Just to be sure,” she said.

“It's too early,” Kara said.

“But the King said you've been in pain since yesterday. Your highness, it could be-”

“This baby is not coming now! Not with everything that's going on.”

“Your highness, are-”

“Enough, Halisa!” Kara snapped, “Just go! I can finish getting ready. I'll call for you if I need you.” Halisa left and Kara looked at herself in the mirror. Halisa had just finished her hair. Kara pulled it back then removed the make up off her face. She saw the Kara she used to be. The one who stayed up late with her sister eating Chinese or pizza. The one who joined her friends for a weekly game night. The one who had lunches with Lena. The one who helped save National City as Supergirl. She saw Kara Danvers. She saw Supergirl. The one who failed to help save lives only a few days ago. She felt pain and it wasn't until she felt the blood drip down her hand did she realize she had shattered the mirror. She grabbed a hand cloth and pressed it up against her hand, forgetting about the mirror shards as the dug deeper into her hand then lied down on her bed trying to block out the screams of the people she could have easily saved.

“Kara,” Dr. Willdridge said sitting on the bed next to the Kryptonian.

“Kara, it's Dr. Willdridge,” the doctor said, “Halisa sent me.”

“I'm fine,” she said, “Just false labor pains.”

“Humor me,” she said. Kara adjusted herself to make it easier for the doctor. Kara said nothing as the doctor did her job.

“You are in early labor,” she said, “But I am going to give you something to stop the contractions. It'll keep them at bay. It won't stop them until you're full term however, maybe another week or two.”

“I don't- I-”

“You've been under a lot of stress with what's happened recently,” the doctor said as she prepared a syringe.

“You were ready for the- their arrival as early as weeks ago,” Kara said.

“I was, but you weren't. Kara, I know you aren't ready for this baby,” she said. Kara said nothing but fought back tears.

“The pressure of the life you have now... when I heard what happened. I suspected this could cause you to go into labor. I know you wanted to do more.”

“You don't know,” Kara said.

“You were a superhero and now you're a queen. Doesn't take a genius to see which one you prefer,” she said, “Your going to feel a little pinch.” Kara didn't flinch as she was given the shot. Then she took care of Kara's hand, removing the mirror shards. She said nothing about this injury however.

“I want to move you to my office by the end of day,” she said, “And you'll be on bed rest until the baby comes.” Kara didn't say anything and she barely registered when the doctor said she'd be back in a few hours. She closed her eyes as the door closed, tears beginning to fall.

Kara sat up when she heard someone knock at the outer door. She thought it might be Dr. Willdridge but knew she'd walk in. It was Dr. Orman, her therapist. She'd avoided her appointments since she left abruptly last time. Kara opened the door wider letting the woman enter.

“Dr. Willdridge sent Halisa for me,” she said.

“Can we- can we talk somewhere else?” Kara asked. This was her and Liam's space.

“Of course,” the doctor said gently. Kara remained quiet as they walked to her office.

“You've been through a lot these past few days,” she said. Kara rolled her eyes.

“I haven't. The people in Lestar have, my husband has, what I went through was- it was nothing.”

“Nothing? You watched the attack,” she said, “You made decisions on what to do next.”

“But I didn't do anything. People died and I did nothing. Nothing to help them, to prevent their pain, their deaths.”

“You mean Supergirl didn't.”

“I am Supergirl. I was-” Kara stopped then spat, “If I wasn't pregnant I could have helped them. I could have gone to the greenhouse and been there to help.”

“You're angry.”

“Of course I'm angry,” Kara said bitterness dripping from every word, “I could have helped them. I could have helped them beyond being Queen. But those actions will draw attention. Those actions will endanger the ones I love. Those actions will tell Brenham that there's someone with superpowers on this planet. Those actions will cause them to find out about a potential army of supers on Argo and Earth. I can't protect both. I thought I could. But I was wrong.” She drew her knees up to her chest the best she could. She didn't look thirty-four weeks pregnant. No where near as big as she was in the simulation.

“You don't think you're protecting the people of Rifar?”

“Several people are dead because of me.”

“You didn't kill them Kara.”

“The Ulodrins went after them because I'm Queen. Because they think I'm a witch they're attacking people. If I wasn't here, those people wouldn't have died.”

“You don't know that-”

“But I do!”

“Kara, he would have married someone else. The Ulodrins would have gone after people and blamed it on her too. They would have found another excuse. Isso is angry at your husband, or more so the crown. You were caught in the crossfire.”

“How can you know-”

“I spoke with Isso. That's where I was when Halisa came to get me.”

“You spoke with him?”

“He could care less who the King married. He was angry at what he lost and blamed the crown. He was stripped of his title not long after you found out you were pregnant.”

“What? Liam didn't tell me that.”

“It was done quietly. No one had heard from him since the King's coronation. His parents died and he wasn't around to perform his duties. He joined the Ulodrins before then however. They were his way at attacking the crown.”

“But his family tried to help him even after all that he did.”

“He doesn't think he did anything wrong,” her therapist said, “Kara, none of what's happened is your fault.”

“But the rest of the Ulodrins- they-”

“Yes, some do believe your powers are... problematic. But Isso used a handful that see violence as the way, in an attempt to achieve his goals. Most of them do not want to harm others to harm you. They want to get their message out in a peaceful way.”

“How can you know that? How can you know that they aren't like them?”

“Several of my colleagues were brought in to interview every known Ulodrin sympathizer. We believe they are sincere in what they tell us. We could be wrong but that is why they're being watched. Kara, you can't blame yourself for the actions of others or the actions you cannot take anymore.”


	59. It's a....

The medication Dr. Willdridge had given Kara didn't prevent her contractions very long. Kara was barely thirty-five weeks when they started again. She'd been sleeping in the birthing suite with Liam. She'd spent the days in the bed frustrated. She forced Liam to give her progress reports and was frustrated about not being by his side when he executed his cousin. She wasn't allowed to watch it either. When he returned that night Kara held him as he silently cried. She didn't ask if they were tears of grief or anger towards Isso. For two days Kara felt slightly more uncomfortable than usual. She was informed that these were contractions.

Liam was gone for the day when Kara felt the pain start to get worse. She vomited over the side of the bed into a basin she'd forgotten was there. Kara let out a slow breath and sat back up feeling pain. She moved the blankets off of her determined to leave the bed. She let out a hiss keeping her jaw clenched. Her legs were dangling over the edge but she couldn't move. Then the pain was gone. She didn't get a chance to stand up. The door opened and Dr. Willdridge entered the room. She was holding a tray of food which she sat down on an end table.

“I don't think the baby liked that last meal,” Kara joked as the doctor lifted her legs back onto the bed.

“Vomiting can be a symptom of active labor,” she said, “I'm going to see how far along you are.”

“When did the pain start?”

“It's not that bad- I-” but Kara was cut off.

“Kara, how long have you been experiencing pain?”

“It just started to get worse maybe an hour ago.”

“You're four centimeters,” she said, “I'm going to stay here and I need you to tell me when the pain starts up again so we can time how far your contractions are apart.” Kara nodded but didn't say anything.

“I know this pregnancy hasn't been easy for you,” she said after a few minutes. Kara went to say something, to refute what the doctor said, but let out a low moan instead. The doctor looked at her tablet as Kara tensed up. Then Kara relaxed again.

“Your contractions are currently six minutes apart, and last just under a minute,” she said then, “Not all women enjoy their first pregnancy or any of them at all. And you had pressures in your life going on at the time.”

“Yeah, not the best time to get pregnant,” Kara said, “I know.” Her doctor wrapped a monitoring band around Kara's abdomen before covering her back up with the blanket.

“Many refugees go through what you're going through now. I've been a doctor to a few and like you they hadn't been living in Rifar long.”

“I-” but Kara stopped letting out another moan. She clutched at the bedspread hoping it'd help the pain in some way.

“I'm not like other refugees. I'm not one, I made a decision to keep my family safe. I chose to come here to protect them,” she spit out through the pain, “My planet was not at war, I was not in danger. I did not lose my family like J'onn or Mon-El or my friends of Krypton. Earth did not explode like Krypton.”

“How much longer will it be like this?” Kara asked. Dr. Willdridge checked her again despite not thinking there'd be any change. There wasn't.

“It's going to be a few more hours. I won't be getting the tub ready for a while.” Kara had forgotten about the tub. She'd forgotten that she was supposed to experience a water birth. She glanced over at the tub which had a cover over it. Before going in the band would be swapped out for one that was waterproof. Kara experienced two more contractions before the doctor mentioned calling for Liam.

“No, he's busy, he has to focus on-”

“He requested being here for a much of it as he can be,” she said then left the room.

Kara kept track of the time. She used her phone opening an app to time her contractions since her doctor had taken the tablet with her. An hour passed before Liam arrived. He was in a t shirt and the pants he'd recently worn to bed. She was wearing a birthing gown specifically made for the arrival of the baby. It was a dark blue v-neck, knee length dress. There were snaps at the shoulder that could be undone and snaps from the hemline of the dress to the ribbon just beneath her chest. She'd worn variations of it the past few days though now she had the band around her abdomen as well. Liam was being covered in a medical draping by one of Dr. Willdridge's nurses. Dr. Willdridge checked her during this.

“You've made some progress, five centimeters,” she said stepping away as Liam climbed onto the bed with Kara. He kissed her then sat behind her.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like you should be doing your job. You don't need to be here,” Kara said.

“This is my job,” he said, “You're my wife, I want to be here.”

“The Ulodrins aren't going to take a break because I'm in labor,” she said.

“We're not talking about them now,” he said, “Right now, I want to focus on you and how you're feeling.”

“Contractions hurt,” she said, “But that's no surprise. What if-”

“Everything is under control. Carson will notify me if anything pressing comes up. This is all I want to focus on.”

“But-”

“Kara, please, for me, will you focus on this? Please,” he said. Kara nodded in response then let out a moan leaning into Liam. He wrapped his arms around her grabbing her hands. She dug her nails in his hands.

“It hurts,” she finally said after a minute.

“I know,” he said as she attempted to reposition herself. She felt him place a cool, wet towel on her forehead. He pulled it away as she rested her head on his shoulder laying more on her side versus her back. He ran his fingers through her hair.

“I know this isn't how you thought your life would be over a year ago,” he said.

“You didn't think we'd be here so soon either,” she said.

“No, I didn't,” he said letting out a soft laugh, “But I'm happy that we are here.” Kara had seen how often the nursery had been rearranged by him the past couple of weeks. He even moved the bassinet that was near their bed a few times. He was nervous for the baby but more excited than Kara was. Kara clenched her jaw and closed her eyes as she felt another contraction.

“You can moan if you want, scream, kick, whatever makes you feel better,” Liam said holding onto Kara's hand as she squeezed it. After another hour of what felt like no progress Kara remembered something she forgot to do.

“I need to tell Alex,” Kara said at the end of a contraction. Liam pulled out his phone and dialed Kara's sister's number. She answered on the second ring.

“Hey, Kara,” she said, “What's going on?” He put the phone on speaker.

“I'm in labor,” Kara said.

“What? Kara, how are you feeling?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Kara quipped. Then she heard Lena, Nia, and Brainy in the background. Lena and Brainy were arguing whereas Nia was attempting to decrease the tension in the room. After a moment Kara heard her sister snap at them, saying she was on the phone.

“Sorry,” she said.

“If you're busy we can call when the baby's here,” Liam said as he watched Kara bite back another moan.

“No, it's okay-”

“Alex,” Kara gasped out, “We'll call you later. Oh my god it hurts so much.”

“You're still five centimeters, Kara,” the doctor said.

“It's been forever,” Kara said.

“I know,” she said, “Would you like something for the pain? I suspect you'll be here longer than you'd like.”

“No,” Kara said sitting up, “The information about pain medication may be false but if something goes wrong...”

“Alright but let me know if you change your mind,” she said, “There's only one medication you didn't have a poor reaction too and it needs to be administered soon.” About a month after the first Ulodrin attack Kara had gone in for tests to see how she'd react to various medication. It'd been done in VR, so while it felt painful, there was no actual harm to her or the baby. Only one medication of the dozen or so she tried had helped. Regardless, it wasn't something she liked to think about.

“I want to take a walk,” Kara said reaching for a robe.

“Stay in this wing,” the doctor said. Recently the hallway, which was mainly used for offices of other royal officials had been changed into a medical wing. The offices had been changed into rooms that Dr. Willdridge and other doctors like Kara's and Liam's therapists could use. One was used for files and medical research. None of the offices had any patients and at the moment, only one family was visiting the castle. The Duke and Duchess of Grigone had sent their children that were under eighteen to stay in Eastloch. There were three of them, all over twelve, and were currently being tutored. Kara had greeted them when they first arrived but she had been on bedrest since then.

Kara held Liam's arm as they walked back and forth down the hallway. Every time she had a contraction she stopped and leaned up against the wall.

“That simulation,” she huffed out afterwards, “Wasn't accurate enough. We've been walking forever. It's been four hours since the pain- aaah.” She clutched beneath her abdomen trying not to double over.

“Do you want to go lie back down?” he asked rubbing her back.

“Yes,” she said.

“Still no progress. Your contractions haven't gotten closer either,” the doctor said after checking Kara. She groaned and took a sip of water. Liam ran his fingers through Kara's hair.

“You're doing great,” he said.

“Doesn't feel like it. It's like the baby doesn't want to actually come out,” she said.

Another hour passed. Then another. And another.

“You're now six centimeters,” the doctor said but Kara merely shook her head. The suns had gone down outside and Kara wondered if she'd be dealing with another seven hours of pain.

“I know you're in a lot of pain,” the doctor said as Kara leaned forward into Liam. She changed positions again. Now she was sitting against the headboard with Liam facing her. He held her hands as she was leaning forward, resting her head against his.

“I'm not taking anything,” Kara insisted.

“Aaah,” Kara moaned through another contraction.

“Isn't there something you can give her to move things along quicker?” Liam asked after Kara had been in pain for twelve hours.

“She doesn't react well to the medication we have that would help,” the doctor said.

“Liam, I'm okay,” she said. But he saw how pale she was and how exhausted she was. She'd tried sitting in the tub as it'd been prepped an hour ago but didn't like it and returned to the bed knowing a water birth wasn't for her. Nothing had help ease the pain.

“Kara-”

“Liam, I'm okay,” she said again, “Just tired.” Then she moaned again. She'd also tried sleeping but couldn't. Liam watched the app on Kara's phone timing her contractions every time another one started. He'd read a handful of books to prepare himself for today. He tried to remember what else was suggested besides warm baths, soothing words, and all kinds of medication. He told Kara he'd be right back going to speak with her doctor.

“There was something I read,” he started out, “And I wonder if it'll help.” He told her about the paragraph he'd read several months ago unsure if Kara would be okay with it.

“That is an option,” the doctor said, “I don't usually suggest it because parents are usually... unwilling to attempt-”

“I want to try anything to help her.”

“Only if she's up for it,” she said, “And only touch where I tell you.” The doctor gave him a quick bit of information then reiterated that he could only move forward with this if Kara said yes.

“I want to try something,” Liam said, “To help you. It doesn't involve medication.”

“What is it?” Kara asked and he kissed her. He positioned himself behind her and unsnapped the top part of her dress.

“What are you doing?” she asked then, “I- no, it's-”

“It can help,” he said, “I've read about it and I talked to Dr. Willdridge.”

“No, I'll be fine,” she said letting out a slow breath and Liam re-snapped her dress back into place. An hour later though, Kara was undoing the snaps on the dress telling Liam: “Next time, we're not doing this, I'm taking pain medication,” Kara said. Liam tried not to pause and think about this statement as he ran his hands towards her chest.

“Really?” Kara asked two hours later after being told she was almost ready to push.

“Almost,” the doctor said, “I'll tell you when.” Kara nodded giving her a slight smile then moaned as she went through another contraction. She felt like she could barely take a breath now in between them. A mirror had been positioned near the end of the bed and once the doctor readjusted Kara she could see her nearly dilated cervix.

“It won't be much longer now, Kara,” Liam said, “You're doing so great. I love you.”

“Ahhh. Make it stop. Please, just make it stop.”

“It's almost over,” he said but Kara wasn't listening. She kept repeating to make it stop.

“She can't push yet,” the doctor said, “She's not fully dilated.”

“Aaah,” Kara moaned. Everything hurt. Why did everything hurt? Was there kryptonite in the room? She could barely open her eyes but didn't see the familiar green glow.

“You're doing so great,” she heard Liam say, “Our baby will be here soon.” Baby? Oh. Right. Baby, their baby. She was supposed to push but she heard a woman telling her to stop, that now was not the time. She felt pain rip through her body several times and each time she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Kara during your next contraction I want you to push,” Kara finally heard her doctor say.

“I can't,” Kara said during the next contraction that came and went.

“Yes you can,” the doctor said, “Squeeze Liam's hand as tight as possible and scream your head off. But I need you to push.” Again another contraction came and went.

“Kara, this baby needs you to push,” the doctor said gently, “It's okay to be scared.”

“I can't,” Kara said, the pain was too much. She was too tired.

“I love you Kara,” Liam said, “This baby will love you too. You're going to be a wonderful-” but Kara screamed as she felt another contraction.

“Kara, push!” She did. Again and again and again. Each time she had a contraction she pushed. Two hours passed of her pushing and Liam looked at the doctor concerned.

“You're doing great, Kara,” the doctor said knowing it could take this long and could still be two more hours or more until the baby was here.

“I'm so tired,” she said, “Please... please...”

“Kara, you're so close,” Dr. Willdridge said. Kara nodded and cried but she pushed during the next contraction as instructed.

“I can feel the head,” the doctor said, “Kara look at the mirror, do you see that? That's your baby's head.” Kara felt Liam's hand clench around hers and he whispered in her ear.

“That's our baby,” he said. Kara was so exhausted she'd stopped screaming when she pushed again. The pain she felt was worse than kryptonite. It was the worst pain she'd ever felt. She vaguely heard Liam's voice. What was he saying? What was her doctor saying? She wanted the pain to stop. She wanted everything to stop. But she couldn't stop. She had to keep pushing. She had to.

“Your baby's here,” the doctor said as Kara heard crying. She saw a flash of silver in Liam's hands then her baby was on her chest. The baby stopped crying. Kara looked at the infant on her chest.

“You're beautiful,” she said and looked up at Liam, “We made this.”

“Yes, we did,” he said, “Did you hear what the doctor said? She's a girl.”

“Hi, Corlina Astra,” Kara said tears still streaming down her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and sticking with this part of the story all the way to the end. The next part of Kara's life will pick up six months later. I already have a few chapters written and will most likely upload the first chapter in December or January. Please let me know your thoughts on the ending, I know this chapter was really long. Once again, thank you so much for reading and the next part Kara and Liam's story will be up soon. - K


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